Johnson College Opens Transportation Technology Center in Downtown Scranton

Johnson College officially opened its Transportation Technology Center at 814 Wyoming Ave. in Scranton during a grand opening and press conference Thursday. The center is giving students in the College’s transportation programs expanded opportunities to learn and train in a facility designed for the work they will encounter in the field.

Students began taking classes and working in the Transportation Technology Center when the fall semester started Aug. 31. The 8,700-square-foot center is home to the College’s one-year Diesel Preventative Maintenance Technology certificate program, two-year Diesel Truck Technology associate degree program and portions of the two-year Automotive Technology associate degree program.

The center gives students access to fully equipped bays, diesel engines, trucks, automotive systems and the tools and equipment they will encounter in the workforce. Students apply what they learn in the classroom through hands-on projects involving engines, preventive maintenance, repairs, diagnostics and automotive systems.

“Today, we celebrate more than a building. We celebrate opportunity. We celebrate progress. And we celebrate the future of transportation technology,” said Dr. Katie Pittelli, president and CEO of Johnson College. “The Transportation Technology Center is a statement of our commitment to hands-on, industry-driven education that prepares students for meaningful, in-demand careers.”

The center also strengthens the College’s connection with transportation industry employers. Companies including Kenworth of Pennsylvania, International with Allegiance Trucks and Cummins work with Johnson College to help ensure its curriculum reflects current industry needs and emerging technologies.

“This building gives our programs the space and resources to take learning to the next level,” said Elliot Harvey, program director of the Diesel Preventative Maintenance Technology and Diesel Truck Technology programs at Johnson College. “Students have access to fully equipped bays, real diesel engines and the tools they will use in the field.”

The Transportation Technology Center also continues Scranton’s long history with the transportation industry. The Wyoming Avenue neighborhood has long been connected to automotive and transportation businesses, and the center brings that history together with the future of technical education.

Benjamin Highhouse, chief operating officer at Marshall Machinery Inc., said the center provides students with experience that is valuable to employers throughout the region.

“Students gain both technical knowledge and hands-on experience that is highly valuable to employers across Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond,” Highhouse said. “By providing modern bays, equipment and workspaces, Johnson College strengthens the pipeline of skilled technicians who support local businesses and keep our industry competitive.”