The City of Covington, Ky., and a local community college are initiating a partnership on a shared fleet maintenance site that could allow students to work on city fleet vehicles.

Gateway Community and Technical College announced it is purchasing a former automotive dealership to house its Collision Repair Technology, Automotive Technology and Diesel Technology programs, as well as its Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) program.

“In 2014, the city decided to assess all facilities and develop a long-term replacement plan for aging structural facilities,” said City Manager Larry Klein. “The city is seriously evaluating this site for fleet maintenance and possibly moving other operations to the site in the future.” 

Through this unique partnership, the City of Covington’s fleet maintenance operation could provide additional work for Gateway students. Students would be able to get real-world work experience and work on everything from light-duty vehicles to fire engines and heavy-duty diesel engines. The details of the collaborative will be worked out over the summer months. 

The Gateway Foundation secured the property via a lease-purchase option, and the college will complete the purchase of this approximately 11-acre site this summer, or early in the fall, for $3.9 million.