FMCSA registry · 2026-11-02

SOWELA Technical Community College

An in-person CDL training location in Lake Charles, Louisiana, open to the public and registered with FMCSA to teach Class A behind-the-wheel entry-level driver training.

Address: 3820 Sen. J. Bennett Johnston, Lake Charles, LA 70615
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Phone: (337) 421-6560
Website: www.sowela.edu
Email: byron.knox@sowela.edu
Provider: Sowela Technical Community
Registry status: Active, as of 2026-11-02
Provider last updated listing: 2025-09-26

What this location is registered to teach

Training	Theory	Range	Public road
Class A (tractor-trailer)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Class B (straight truck, bus)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Passenger endorsement	Yes	No	No
School bus endorsement	Yes	No	No
Hazmat endorsement	Yes	n/a	n/a

Theory is the classroom (or online) part of ELDT; range and public road are the two behind-the-wheel parts. A school can register different locations for different parts, so ask where each part happens.

Verify before you pay. FMCSA adds and removes providers every day, and has removed thousands since late 2025. Search the provider name on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry the week you enroll.

What the registry does not tell you

Tuition, fees and what is included (permit fees, DOT physical, test truck rental).
How many behind-the-wheel hours you get, and on what transmission (an automatic-only skills test can add a restriction to your CDL).
Pass rates and job placement. Ask for numbers in writing.
Whether carriers reimburse tuition for its graduates. See company-paid CDL training.

Other registered CDL locations nearby

Coastal Truck Driving School -Lake Charles (Coastal Truck Driving School)

1.3 mi

4030 Goodman Ln, Lake Charles, LA · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (337) 240-7240

AGI Driving Academy

3.7 mi

4019 Common St, Lake Charles, LA · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class A only
Phone: (337) 202-0212

Bayou CDL LLC (Bayou CDL)

30.7 mi

Starks, LA · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (337) 525-8538

Lamar State College Orange

35.1 mi

410 Front Street, Orange, TX · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (409) 882-3321

SLCC/Crowley (SLCC/Crowley campus)

45.9 mi

1933 W. Hutchinson Ave, Crowley, LA · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (337) 788-7526

Lamar-Salter Campus (Sowela Technical Community)

54.6 mi

15014 Lake Charles Hwy, Leesville, LA · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (337) 421-6560

Lamar State College Port Arthur - BMT (Lamar State College Port Arthur)

54.8 mi

3606 FM3514, Beaumont, TX · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (409) 984-6230

Joe & Ree Trucking LLC

56.6 mi

592 Magazine St., Beaumont, TX · FMCSA registry

Class A: theory + range + road
Also teaches: Class B, Passenger, School bus, Hazmat
Phone: (409) 291-0853

Source: FMCSA Training Provider Registry, "Download all Training Locations" file dated 2026-11-02. Location shown on the map is the geocoded street address (US Census geocoder). We list public, in-person, Active locations that teach Class A behind-the-wheel. Methodology.