Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1135 into law this fall to recognize the dedication of Florida lineworkers. In turn, the state established the "Thank a Lineman" license plate.
"Lineworkers are the hard-working men and women who install and maintain our power lines and who go out to restore power in the event of outages or downed lines," said Dr. Stan Sidor, President of Lake-Sumter State College. "We are appreciative of Gov. DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for providing public recognition of these individuals who are critical to our state's economy."
Brant Duke, a Lake-Sumter State College graduate and lineworker for the City of Leesburg, found a rewarding career in the program.
"I knew I liked to work outside and not behind a desk, so I thought I would try it out," Duke explains. "The LSSC Lineworker programs gives you a true feel of lineworker life. The benefits of this program are exponential, and it's far cheaper than other programs I know."
Proceeds from the Thank A Lineman plate's fees will go to scholarships for students enrolling in the Electric Utility programs at Lake-Sumter State College. These programs prepare students for a career as a lineworker in as few as six weeks.
"We are committed to providing a career pathway for students to begin high-skill and high-wage careers in the electric industry," said Sidor. "We believe our programs are second to none in providing hands-on training and in-depth learning for lineworkers and electric utility professionals. Our graduates are servicing power lines across the state of Florida and the country on a daily basis."
Florida drivers who want the Thank a Lineman plate on their car can visit www.thankalineworker.com or contact their county's tax collector office to place a pre-order. The plates are expected to be available in 2021 once the state's minimum pre-order threshold is met.
Other states have also thanked their linemen with special license plate designs. See below for some of the highlights.
