WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A Polk County resident and member of the deaf community recently passed his Commercial Driver’s License certification thanks to the help from the community, family, and the FleetForce Truck Driver Training school. 

Imagine driving a big semi-truck?

It could present a challenge for any new driver.

What You Need To Know

  •  Jonathan Santiago, who is deaf, recently earned his commercial driver's license 

  •  He credits his family's support and the training at FleetForce's truck driver school 

  •  Jonathan begins his new career this month

Jonathan Santiago is proof that there are no obstacles that can get in the way when you have the right help and motivating drive.

Santiago is ready to hit the road and starts up his truck. It will produce a lot of sounds.

But for him, the sound is silence. Santiago is deaf.

Sherri Neff, director of FleetForce Truck Driver Training in Winter Haven and Jonathan’s mentor, put it into perspective.

"I mean, it's just a huge, huge thing to know that somebody who's deaf can overcome and get a commercial driver's license," said Sheri Neff.

Neff said Santiago is an inspiration to others.

Speaking through an interpreter, he described what he went through to get his commercial driver's license.

“You know we can...deaf people can access anything with an interpreter,” he said. “And I had an interpreter with me at all times, and there were really no frustrations, no barriers."

The second-generation truck driver is the first deaf person to graduate from FleetForce.

He recently passed the state test without an interpreter, as mandated by Florida regulations.

And he is challenging what some might assume is not possible.

"We can do any job; we can do anything that we want to do,” said Jonathan. “It is important that you have the background and the driving skills visually. You know I can't hear but I can see."

Sheri said Jonathan is one of the few to have achieved this accomplishment.

"And there's only about eight to 10 throughout the entire state,” she said. “So, it was a privilege to work with Jonathan."

Before FleetForce, Neff was with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

"I worked with a lot of deaf people driving cars but to drive an 80,000-pound vehicle, it's just a huge accomplishment for a deaf person,” she said. “Anybody can overcome challenges."

Santiago agreed and encouraged others like him. Especially, if you have the right support.

"They can do this the same as I can and go through the training,” he said. “And my wife has been a great support for me to be the best that I can be."

He is now driving the message that if you will it, no barriers will get in the way.

After graduation, Neff told us Santiago was quickly hired with trucking company U.S. Xpress.

He starts on April 28.