To help Chicagoans take the first step toward a career in transportation, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has recently partnered with Olive-Harvey College to offer a free preparatory course to assist candidates in meeting the hiring requirement of obtaining a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). This new program is the latest in a series of measures introduced in support of the agency’s “Meeting the Moment: Transforming CTA’s Post-Pandemic Future” – a multi-pronged effort to provide more reliable service, improve the customer experience and invest in employees. The two-week course, available to qualified CTA applicants, helps candidates acquire a CLP, which is needed to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class “B”. To remove financial barriers for students to pursue and complete the program, CTA covers the costs of tuition, training, books, fees and other expenses associated with the program along with the cost of taking the permit exam. The CDL program partnership with Olive-Harvey is one of many initiatives the CTA has undertaken to address workforce challenges brought on by the pandemic. For more information about CTA employment opportunities, visit transitchicago.com/careers.