John C. Thorpe serves as the Director of the Truck Driver Training Program at Central Technology Center in Drumright, Oklahoma, where he has led one of the region’s premier CDL training programs for the past 12 years. With more than 26 years of experience in education, John has dedicated his career to developing high-quality educational programs and helping students achieve their personal and professional goals.
John earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University and has built his career around the belief that quality education, strong leadership, and a commitment to safety create successful outcomes for both students and instructors. As a lifelong educator, he understands the challenges students face and is passionate about providing the guidance, support, and hands-on training necessary for them to become safe, confident, and employable professional truck drivers.
In addition to his leadership at Central Tech, John has served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools (NAPFTDS) for the past 12 years. During that time, he has also served as Chair of the NAPFTDS Education Committee, where he has helped shape educational standards, curriculum development, and best practices for publicly funded truck driver training programs across the nation.
John is a strong advocate for excellence in commercial driver education and believes that successful training programs begin with investing in both instructors and students. His leadership philosophy emphasizes safety, professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement, ensuring that graduates leave with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed in the transportation industry. Through his work at Central Tech and his national leadership with NAPFTDS, John remains committed to advancing the future of truck driver education and promoting the highest standards of training throughout the industry.
