The state of Tennessee launched a new website dedicated to soliciting commercial truck drivers, who right now are in short supply.
A website called truckingtn.com says the state needs truck drivers and offers useful tips on how and where would-be truck drivers can obtain commercial driving licenses (CDLs).
“The demand for CDL positions in Tennessee is expected to increase nearly 20 percent between now and 2030,” the site says. “Drivers are needed for the transportation of goods across the state, as well as local delivery drivers, bus drivers and other jobs that require a CDL. Distributing supplies and goods is critical to the success of many industries, meaning the demand for qualified drivers is likely to remain consistent and provide job stability for years to come.”
Alongside the opportunity to travel, the site also touts a high salary for new drivers.
“Not many careers can offer a national average annual salary of $71,000 after only two months of training, but truck driving does just that!” according to the site. “Many drivers can earn annual incomes of more than $100,000 after just a few years of experience. Many employers offer signing bonuses and excellent benefits packages for full-time drivers.”
In Tennessee, it takes only six to eight weeks of training to qualify for the CDL exam, and the site says that the six to eight-week training is free in many cases.
“With programs like Tennessee Promise, Tennessee Reconnect and the Wilder-Naifeh Technical Grant, our already affordable truck driving training may be tuition-free, and your out-of-pocket costs are likely minimal. You’ll leave our program with no student loans,” it says.
There are 14 Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) locations, ranging from large cities like Memphis to small towns like Crump, where drivers can get their training.
Lawmakers in Georgia are also currently reckoning with a shortage of truck drivers, for which it just broke ground at the Georgia Piedmont Technical College.
That facility will open in the fall of 2024, with the goal of doubling the state’s commercial truck driving program enrollment.
According to the American Transportation Journal, there is a shortage of 80,000 commercial truck drivers in the United States due to a combination of factors, including a retiring workforce, drivers leaving the industry, and a lack of new drivers entering it.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X / Twitter.
Photo “Truck Driver” by Veronica538. CC BY-SA 3.0.
