New truck drivers fresh out of school are needed across the Northland

Trucking companies and the nation are still struggling during a shortage of workers. At Jeff Foster Trucking Inc. they are still feeling the pinch.

General Manager Jim Jones says, “What we are experiencing is there’s not new drivers coming in through the schools right now to replace the guys and gals that are retiring and moving on to other careers."

And for the general public most are unaware, but the trucking industry deeply effects our everyday lives. So much so if there are no drivers the effects could be detrimental. Professor Paul Foster elaborated on the issue.

He says, "If the trucks stopped today by the end of the weekend this country would be at a standstill. Because there would be no gas there would be no food there would be nothing everything would come to a standstill. It would take three days to do that, but that’s what would happen."

So now education is key, getting new drivers in classes making them become more experienced drivers. Jones says, "It puts you as a better person on the road in your car when you are done with this it breaks down all the fundamentals of driving to a next level."

And out of school, companies are offering more flexible shifts to entice new workers. At Jeff Foster they are opening the doors to more shift opportunities. And Professor Foster says, "Rarely will you ever see someone get laid off or losing a job because there’s nothing to haul. There is always something to haul."

But the biggest incentive continues to be the income. Foster says,"It’s a good living. I mean right now, you go to school you come out. You go to class for 6, 8, to 12 weeks, you could potentially be making 60 to 80 to 100,000 dollars a year."