Apprenticeship pilot program introducing interstate trucking to younger drivers

Do teenagers belong in a big rig? That’s the age-old debate. One side says yes, pointing to the driver shortage, while the other disagrees from a safety perspective.

But it appears that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is ready to put it to the test, giving those fresh out of high school a chance to prove they’re ready for interstate commerce.

Motor carriers on the yea side of the debate have the opportunity to take action through the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program (SDAP),...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/apprenticeship-pilot-program-introducing-interstate-trucking-to-younger-drivers

Training the next generation in trucking — Taking the Hire Road

The Next Generation in Trucking Association (NGT) is a nonprofit dedicated to exposing young people to career opportunities in trucking and creating programs to help them develop the skills needed to succeed in the industry. 

“Around 34% of juniors and 41% of seniors in high school have already decided on a career path,” said NGT President Lindsey Trent, who co-founded the organization with Dave Dein in July 2021. “We are trying to get them at that age to explore careers in trucking.”

NGT...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/training-the-next-generation-in-trucking-taking-the-hire-road

Growing numbers of teens see trucking as attractive career

Trucking’s age-old problem has been just that — the age of its drivers. 

The median age of a truck driver is 46, which is five years older than the national average for all workers. As more and more drivers — especially those in their 60s and 70s, of whom there are many on the road today — decide to retire from commercial trucking, America’s highways are in danger of becoming a lot quieter.

This may sound good to commuters, until they realize that almost everything in their lives is shipped via...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/growing-numbers-of-teens-see-trucking-as-attractive-career

DRIVE-Safe Act proponents call for greater trust in trained younger drivers

Talks of labor shortages and truck driver safety are common themes at industry conferences, in newsletters, editorials and even watercooler conversations — with good reason. 

But it’s almost as if labor and driver safety were inversely related: On one hand, relaxing regulations to make trucking easier to enter is decried as a threat to safety. On the other hand, the industry can’t grow unless drivers have more freedom.

Can’t both issues be addressed at the same time?

The Developing Responsible...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/drive-safe-act-proponents-call-for-greater-trust-in-trained-younger-drivers

Attracting a new generation to trucking — Taking the Hire Road

Lindsey Trent is determined to see fresh faces in freight. As founder of The Next Generation in Trucking Association, her efforts have made trucking an attractive career choice for younger generations nationwide. 

Trent discussed the industry’s recruiting challenges and how to best reach high school and college-age students with DriverReach founder and CEO Jeremy Reymer on this week’s episode of Taking the Hire Road.

The Next Generation in Trucking Association is a nonprofit trade group aiming to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/attracting-a-new-generation-to-trucking-taking-the-hire-road

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