Keep On Truckin'

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By William Lee Adams

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Stephen Fraser, 38, is earning a college degree--and without even leaving his Freightliner. He's one of 500 students enrolled at In-Cab University, the first accredited college catering to the trucking community. Drivers, whose classes start this week, listen to lectures while on the road and submit assignments at rest stops and loading docks using cell phones and Wi-Fi. "Rather than driving all day and dreaming about lottery winnings, I'm actually using my mind," says Fraser, a business-management major.

As an additional perk, five major fleets have agreed to cover the $225-per-credit-hour tuition in exchange for long-term commitments--an effort to reduce the industry's 120,000-driver shortage. Besides science, business and humanities courses, drivers can enroll in "personal-growth electives" that address issues like navigating long-distance relationships. Now, that's learning for the long haul.

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