DMACC Transportation Institute nearing completion

DMACC’s new transportation institute facilities are nearly complete, with half of the project funded by donations, state and federal funding. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Staff and students at the Des Moines Area Community College Transportation Institute are getting ready to transfer to the program’s new facilities as the $9 million project nears completion.

The community college announced in a news release that Hy-Vee donated $100,000 to the project, and the institute will move into the new space Dec. 18.

DMACC President Rob Denson said in an interview that other than signage, the institute will be completely ready for students starting next semester. Construction crews broke ground on the new facilities in November 2023 and were favored by a mild fall and winter, Denson said, allowing them to work quickly.

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“We’re very excited about being able to meet demand and serve students on a more rapid basis,” Denson said.

The new transportation institute includes a 12-acre concrete concourse split up into six driving ranges, Denson said, as well as a new building with classrooms, garages, inspection spaces and study areas. The old institute building is set for demolition that will most likely take place in the spring, he said.

With the three additional ranges provided by the renovated concourse and expanded space, Denson said the institution’s capacity will increase from 250 to 500 students.

Hy-Vee’s $100,000 donation was the latest in gifts from businesses and individuals as well as state and federal aid, which Denson said total around $4.5 million, or half the cost of the project. DMACC graduate Dennis Albaugh gave a lead gift of $1 million to the college, and other donors include Prairie Meadows, Fareway, the Kent Corporation, Casey’s and the Polk County Board of Supervisors.

Hy-Vee Executive Vice President of Supply Chain and Transportation Steven Venegas said in the release that the company relies on DMACC Transportation Institute graduates, as well as the state’s trucking industry as a whole. He said Hy-Vee employs 500 drivers who log 40 million miles annually.

“Our business continues to grow,” Venegas said in the release. “As a result, our sponsorship and donation to DMACC underscores our commitment to hire qualified drivers across our company.”

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