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Greensboro captain wins innovation award for city-run CDL training that saves thousands per student
Summary
Captain Matthew Smith was honored for creating an online entry-level CDL program on the city's learning management system that meets federal requirements, is free to students, and is estimated to save $4,000–$6,000 per trainee compared with private providers.
Captain Matthew Smith of the Greensboro Fire Department received a 2026 innovation award for developing an entry-level driver training program that helps city employees earn commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). Smith said the course is hosted on the city's learning management system (CityNet) and was designed to meet all federal requirements while costing the city and students nothing.
"My innovation is that I developed an entry level driver training CDL program for the city of Greensboro," Smith said. He told the meeting he worked with the city of Monroe, the city of Burlington and the city of Raleigh to help them develop similar programs. Smith estimated that comparable private-sector training would cost "$4,000 to $6,000 per student," and said the city is averaging "somewhere 2 to 4 licenses a month," describing the effort as an "extensive cost savings" over time.
