When people think about truck drivers, they often picture older individuals, with the average age being around 54 years. However, due to a nationwide shortage of truck drivers, this perception is starting to change.
Patterson High School in California has launched a truck-driving program, making it one of the first non-vocational high schools in the U.S. to offer such training to students. This elective, available to seniors, is part of the school’s Career Technical Education Program, which focuses on providing students with practical workplace skills.
Instructor Dave Dein noted that many students enrolling in the course previously hadn’t considered trucking as a viable career option. He highlighted that trucking suffers from various misconceptions, including beliefs that it is a dangerous job with low pay and unbearable hours. “If we don’t start promoting trucking to our youth, their decisions will be based only on what they know,” he explained.
Addressing the Worker Shortage
The trucking industry has been grappling with a driver shortage for over a decade, exacerbated by supply chain challenges stemming from the pandemic. According to the American Trucking Associations, trucks transport about 72.5% of the nation’s freight by weight. A 2015 study indicated a need for 48,000 drivers, but that number has grown significantly, with a reported shortage of 68,000 drivers in 2021, and projections that it could exceed 100,000 by 2028.
Dein, a trucking industry veteran since 1988, guides students through the rules and safety protocols necessary for obtaining a commercial driver’s license. He transitioned into teaching to share his passion while continuing to drive part-time. “I never left trucking; I always enjoyed it,” he shared.
The Challenges of Attracting Young Drivers
Though initiating young drivers could help mitigate the shortage, experts warn this will not solve the industry’s retention issues. Steve Viscelli, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, stated that simply introducing younger drivers won’t change the overarching concerns of job retention.
While the program may attract young drivers, many students initially don’t see truck driving as a viable option. One student, Eduardo Dominguez-Sotelo, admitted he initially wouldn’t have picked this elective, but after encouragement, he found it to be a great fit. After graduation, he plans to explore a career in computer engineering while potentially driving trucks part-time. Dein aims for his students to recognize the value of trucking and its opportunities.
