Doug Teal Returns to the Driver’s Seat: Earning His CDL with Hand Controls

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Doug Teal is reclaiming his career and earning his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) again—this time using hand controls.  

Teal previously worked as a commercial driver, a job he loved, before a life-altering T6 spinal cord injury two and a half years ago that resulted in wheelchair use. Originally from Virginia, where he first earned his CDL, Teal has since moved to Colorado. Determined to return to the profession he is passionate about, Teal made the 24-hour drive from the Thornton, Colo., area, to Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Ala., to enroll in a rare CDL program for wheelchair users.  

Reminiscing about his time on the road, he recalled his weekly cross-country drives from North Carolina to California. “I dreamed about driving since I was a kid,” Teal said. Teal had been driving for a little over a year before his injury. 

After his injury, Teal faced a challenging search for a CDL training program that could accommodate his needs. That’s when he found a previous article on Wallace State’s CDL program, one of the few in the nation offering training for individuals using wheelchairs. He said the article inspired him to get back to his passion. 

For Teal, this is about reclaiming independence and inspiring others like him. “I hope my story inspires others to try to do the same and not give up,” he said.  

Wallace State’s CDL program stands out for its commitment to accessibility. The program provides specialized equipment, such as trucks equipped with hand controls surrounding the steering wheel and connected to the gas and brake pedals. Teal also uses a lift to transition from his wheelchair to the truck’s driver’s seat.  

Wallace State Community College has graduated three other wheelchair users from its CDL program, all three of whom are currently employed as Commercial Truck Drivers.  

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.   

For more information about Wallace State’s CDL program, email anna.parrish@wallacestate.edu or contact the Center for Career and Workforce Development at 256.352.7452. 

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About Wallace State 

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.