Second Chances on 18 Wheels: Ohio Prison CDL Graduates Hit a New Road Forward

The Richland Correctional Institution in Mansfield, Ohio, is once again proving that rehabilitation can be more than a word, it can be a workforce pipeline. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction recently celebrated seven new CDL-A graduates, men who completed a rigorous commercial driving program while incarcerated. Through partnerships with industry-recognized trainers, the facility offers a four-week hands-on course that teaches equipment safety, maneuvering skills, and real-world trucking procedures. The program has become one of the state’s most impactful vocational tracks, preparing individuals for high-demand jobs before they ever reenter society.

For many of these graduates, earning a CDL is more than a license, it’s a lifeline to stability, financial independence, and a new identity beyond their past. Trucking companies across the country continue to face driver shortages, and programs like this create a bridge between returning citizens and employers willing to give them a chance. As the industry pushes forward into 2025, these seven men stand as proof that with the right training, accountability, and opportunity, the road to redemption might just begin behind the wheel of a truck.