From Staff Reports
AMERICUS — Hugh Little has been an asset to South Georgia Technical College’s (SGTC) commercial truck driving program for almost 22 years, but is now retiring from full-time teaching to focus on family and travel.
Although he’s been teaching truck driving at SGTC for over two decades and has been behind the wheel even longer, truck driving wasn’t always Little’s career path of choice.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Georgia Southwestern College in Americus, where he put himself through college by driving an 18-wheeler part-time, he moved to Atlanta to get his degree in accounting from Georgia State University.
When he realized he could earn more money driving trucks part-time than he could by being an accountant full-time, the decision wasn’t difficult for Little, and he took a job in Albany for a trucking company called Estes Express.
Little started the commercial truck driving program at SGTC in 1987, alongside Eddie Garner. “My former students come to the truck driving course almost every day to visit,” said Little. “Earlier this quarter, I happened to run into a student from my very first CTD class when I was in Cordele.” Commercial Truck Driving is also offered on SGTC’s Crisp County Campus and Little was picking up some students on a test drive. “He was shopping at the Farmers Market where he saw the SGTC truck, recognized me, and came over to talk with me.”
Although he loves meeting new people through his work, Little is eager to get on his motorcycle and travel around the United States.
Hugh and his wife Nita share a love of motorcycles. He even built a bike shop in his Andersonville home. “We’re going to the Grand Canyon this year,” said Little. “We’ve wanted to go there for over five years. We’ve been all over the Southeast but have never been out West.”
In addition to traveling, Little will also be helping his wife with her business, Nita Little’s Lawn Service.
“She loves plants,” Hugh said of his wife. “She’s enrolled in the Environmental Horticulture program at South Georgia Tech.”
Little also looks forward to spending more time with his family. He and his wife have five children, four grandchildren, and a fifth grandchild on the way.
Although Little will be relinquishing his role as full-time commercial truck driving instructor, he isn’t leaving SGTC completely. He will stay on as an adjunct instructor.
“My favorite thing about teaching commercial truck driving is the people I meet,” said Little. “When you’re teaching out here it really seems like you’re making a difference. People come in who are out of work and don’t know what to do, and we teach them a valuable skill that helps them get back out in the job market.”
Recently, SGTC acquired a state-of-the-art commercial truck driving simulator, which is a tremendous asset to the program.
Currently, SGTC has over 20 students enrolled in the commercial truck driving course, which can be completed in one quarter. For more information about the commercial truck driving program at SGTC, call 931-2975 or visit the website at www.southgatech.edu. Summer quarter beings July 8.
