Education /
August 30, 2018

Minnesota State Community and Technical College’s New Transportation Center

New Transportation Center opened

Minnesota State Community and Technical College opened a new $6.5 million Transportation Center on its Moorhead campus in August 2016. With this new center, M State continues its tradition of training highly skilled transportation workers for employers and industries throughout the region.

Work began in 2014 on the project, which involved renovation of an existing space and new construction. In addition to providing 23,000 square feet of lab and classroom space for the Diesel Equipment Technology program, the project renovated another 23,000 square feet of existing space for an expanded Automotive Technology program.

The new center relieves congestion in the transportation program labs, accommodates higher enrollment, allows for new technologies and improves the learning environment for up to 150 students in M State’s Diesel Equipment Technology and Automotive Technology programs.

Industry support from companies such as Doosan Bobcat North America, General Equipment & Supplies and RDO helped make the renovated center possible.

Bobcat support came in the form of scholarships and equipment valued at $120,000. More recently, Bobcat donated three Bobcat® machines to support the Diesel Equipment Technology program.

“Our partnership with Doosan Bobcat has spanned many years, benefitting countless technicians and students with hands-on training and observation,” said Jim Bainer, Diesel Equipment Technology instructor. “We are appreciative of this donation and the impact it will have on current and future technicians.”

RDO donated $100,000 to the center and secured naming rights to the larger of the two diesel program labs housed in the Transportation Center. General Equipment & Supplies donated $30,000 and secured naming rights to a smart classroom.

We cannot think of a better place for our future technicians to start down the path of a great career.

Kenny Useldinger, RDO Truck Centers

Support from other industry partners included a donation from State Farm, which awarded $10,000 in grant funds to the college and secured naming rights to the Automotive Technology program’s customer service area.

M State transportation programs:

M State – Moorhead offers both an Associate of Applied Science degree and diploma program in Automotive Service Technology. The campus has four options for Diesel Equipment Technology, including three AAS degree programs and a diploma program.

M State – Detroit Lakes featured transportation program is PowerSports Technology.