For the trucking industry, a shortage of qualified truck drivers means manufacturers' products can be delayed when reaching its customers and consumers. Therefore, a substantial number of drivers are currently needed to help maintain a consistent flow of deliveries that arrive safely and on time.
In addition, having a lack of qualified truck drivers could cause some businesses to either slow or perhaps shut down the production lines until parts for their products arrive.
When the economy is strong, there’s an increase in the demand for all goods such as food, clothing, automobiles and computers. If manufacturers aren’t able to deliver these goods on time, their profit margins will begin to drop.
According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), there’s currently a nationwide shortage of approximately 51,000 qualified truck drivers. This organization also reports that this figure is up 20,000 from 2013 and 36,500 from 2016.
The ATA has projected that by 2021, there’ll be roughly 100,000 truck driving positions still needing to be filled.
Being able to perform the following physical and skill requirements will definitely benefit anyone planning to pursue a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL):
Physical Requirements:
Skill Requirements:
Hocking College in Nelsonville, OH offers students the opportunity to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License Certificate. In only six weeks, students can graduate and be on their way into this profitable industry.
For more information, contact CDL Training Manager, Elizabeth Gardner, by email at gardnere@hocking.edu or by phone at (740) 753-6148.