When Dick Fryman turned 60 years old, he was looking for something new in his life.
Fryman wanted to drive semi-trucks, and Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) was there to help him out.
Fryman said he knew a little about driving double-clutches and other types of equipment since he grew up a farm and drove grain trucks when he was younger, but he needed to be trained in order to get his Class A drivers license.
“I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but once you get to DCTC, the instructors are great,” Fryman said. “It is a really good school.”
Fryman, who lives in Owatonna, checked out some other schools, but discovered that they didn’t offer evening courses.
That’s when he looked to DCTC and found they had an evening program in truck driver training.
He quickly signed up and began his work towards his Class A license while working full-time for Truth Hardware in Owatonna.
“I would work all day and take off for Rosemount right after that,” Fryman said. “It went really well. I’m glad I did it.”
After completing the evening program in July 2005, Fryman begin his second career as a truck driver.
He found two part-time jobs with trucking companies in southern Minnesota and started driving immediately.
Fryman said that he has driven all over the country, hauling everything from vegetables to Styrofoam. Currently, he drives once or twice a week and enjoys his time.
“I love driving,” he said. “I love it. Everybody I work with is really nice.”
He has enjoyed the experience of driving so much that he is ready to retire from Truth Hardware and drive full-time.
“I’m due for a change,” Fryman said. “I get home from work just mentally drained. But I get out [on the road], and I get refreshed.”
Without DCTC, Fryman knows that he wouldn’t have been able to take the training or enjoy his new career.
“It worked out really well,” he said. “I really enjoyed the classes.”
