Doug Teal recently embarked on the cross-country journey from Thornton, Colorado, to Wallace State Community College in Hanceville so he can get back to doing what he loves.

Prior to a life-altering T6 spinal cord injury that resulted in his current wheelchair use, Teal worked as a commercial driver.

And after two and a half years, he says he is eager to get back behind the wheel.

“I dreamed about driving since I was a kid,” he told Wallace State’s Gail Crutchfield in a recent release.

After a challenging search for a Commercial Driver’s License training program that could accommodate his needs, Teal found out about Wallace State’s classes.

It is one of the few in the nation offering training for individuals using wheelchairs, according to the release.

The program provides specialized equipment, such as trucks equipped with hand controls surrounding the steering wheel and connected to the gas and brake pedals. It also allows Teal to use a lift to transition from his wheelchair to the truck’s driver’s seat.

The college has graduated three other wheelchair users from its CDL program, and they are all currently employed as Commercial Truck Drivers, according to the release.

Teal told Crutchfield that he hopes his story “inspires others to try to do the same and not give up.”

Wallace State offers CDL classes on its main campus in Hanceville, as well as in Oneonta and Winston County. The next classes for wheelchair users will be in June, the release says.