It is undeniable that trucks move goods in America. In fact, 72% of everything we buy comes to us by truck – if not in its entire journey from the point of origin to the point of sale, at least during some part of that journey. For some of the smaller, remote, land-locked communities, getting goods by truck is their only option.
But with outdated infrastructure and regulations, effects of the pandemic and unprecedented volume of goods moving through our economy, the supply chain as a whole is struggling right now and part of that struggle is due to a shortage of qualified truck drivers. By some estimates, the shortage could be as high as 80,000 drivers. And it is going to get worse without intervention as many of today’s truck drivers will retire within this decade.
Trucking Action Plan
However, there is a large pool of veterans with recent military trucking experience that could get them into a truck and driving fairly quickly under the right conditions. As a matter of fact, the White House is banking on it as they see these veterans at the heart of their Trucking Action Plan and as a way to help alleviate the driver shortage.
State’s Department of Motor Vehicles
The Plan is multifaceted with several milestones along the way. The first immediate actions the White House is implementing under the Plan is working with Department of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and 50 state’s Department of Motor Vehicle offices in an effort to reduce barriers that inhibit the testing and issuance of Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs).
The FMCSA has $30 million in funding to help states expedite the issuance of CDLs. Each state has already received a “toolkit” with actions each state can take to make necessary changes happen … and a pledge to help overcome any challenges states may encounter at the federal level that could counter implementing the recommended actions.
Registered Apprenticeships –
Apprenticeships are a fast way to get more drivers on the road, and the Trucking Action Plan kicked off a 90-day challenge to trucking companies to put approved driver training apprentice programs in place as an effort to train more drivers. Registered apprentice programs are the gold-standard in the trucking industry because it is paid, earn-while-you-learn, on-the-job training program. For trucking companies that want to establish a driver’s apprentice program, the DOL and its partners will expedite program development so a company can have their own program up and running in as little as two days.
Veteran Focused Recruitment
There are as many as 70,000 veterans that have certifiable military trucking experience within the last five years. The DOL’s Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) and the VA will work together with veterans’ organizations and the military branches to ensure qualified driving experience is applied toward getting a CDL easier and quicker. Current military members without qualifying driving experience that are transitioning out of the military soon can become qualified through programs such as SkillBridge.
Driving Good Jobs
This initiative is aimed at breaking down barriers that 1) inhibit hiring more qualified drivers and 2) prevent them from making a livable wage. One of the intuitive focuses will be aimed changing laws that affect hiring younger drivers (18 to 20 years old); under current regulations to drive interstate – across state lines – a driver has to be at least 21 years old. The initiative also focuses hiring more women and minority drivers.
Compensation and Reward are Key Factors for Truck Drivers
Other actions include driving toward a fairer pay system. In most cases drivers are paid by the miles driven. And while drivers can drive up to 11 hours per day, many of them lose as much as half that time per day waiting to either load or unload. The aim is moving toward “an hours pay for an hours work” type of system – much like the rest of the Nations’ workforce pay system. In addition to instituting changes that reduce the unproductive loading/unloading wait time.
And in general, making changes within the industry to make driving truck a rewarding career – one where drivers can make a livable wage and support their family – just like in other careers. These changes (and others) have to happen if there is going to be any significant improvement in this part of the supply chain that is broken.
