PRESS RELEASE
UAF awards credit for Princess Commercial Driver Training Program
November 2007
FAIRBANKS, Alaska
Beginning in the spring of 2008,employees completing Princess Tours Commercial Driver Training Program the training will qualify to receive three credits for ABUS 267 Transportation and Logistics Management, a course in the Applied Business Department from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Professor Charlie Dexter, coordinator of the department which houses UAF's Tourism Certificate and AAS Degree, shared, "We are excited for the opportunity to partner with Princess Tours. They are an outstanding and valued corporation, which employs many of our graduates.” This achievement is a reflection of the commitment to excellence that is demonstrated in the high quality of training programs that Princess employees undergo in order to become a Princess Tours Driver-Guide. Princess is the tour first company in Alaska with a commercial driver training program where students can earn university credits. Employees enrolled in Princess Commercial Driver Training Programs in Alaska and out of state can register for UAF credit. Students completing the program are eligible to receive 3 credits and plus other UAF benefits.
Michelle Bartlett, Director of UAF Summer Sessions, is pleased with this cooperative venture with a leading member in the Alaskan tourism industry. “Public/Private partnerships work well for the whole Alaskan community.” Princess is proud to be the first tour company in Alaska to offer college credit for our Commercial Driver Training Program. And we are extremely pleased to further our continued partnership with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, which we consider a vital link to our relationship with the Fairbanks community, said Bruce Bustamante, Princess Tours Vice President of Community and Public Affairs. Over the past fifteen years the Princess Tours Commercial Driver Training program has gone from a few trainers with a training manual to a state of the art training school that includes a web based manual covering everything from vehicle inspections to safe driving and technical troubleshooting of a motorcoach. Classroom instruction for new drivers include presentations and training videos all developed and produced by the Princess Tours Driver Safety and Training Department. The achievement of being able to offer UAF credit reinforces the strong reputation that the Princess Tours Commercial Driver Training program has established within the Alaska transportation community. To learn more about the Commercial Driver Training program and Princess Tours careers in Alaska, visit PrincessJobs.com.