With the median age for truck drivers pushing retirement and a severe shortage of drivers, to begin with, the U.S. Department of Transportation is putting forth two proposals. According to a recent press release from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, these proposals will make it easier for qualified applicants to earn their commercial driver’s license.

The first proposal is simple.

Any qualified veterans or active duty personnel can have the knowledge test waived. This allows veterans and returning soldiers to have an easier time finding work as truck drivers and bus operators and will make it easier for them to transition into civilian life.

This allows veterans and returning soldiers to have an easier time finding work

The second proposal calls for simplifying the process.

Simplifying the process to obtain a CDL will not only make it easier for drivers to find work but will also lower costs for both state driver’s licensing agencies as well for the applicant.

Simplifying the process to obtain a CDL

“Taken together, these two proposals will help ease the entry for thousands of qualified individuals into career opportunities as professional truck and bus drivers – a critical occupation facing an acute labor shortage in our country,” said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Daphne Jefferson. “We could eliminate unnecessary burdens to both the applicants and the states, save time, reduce costs and, most importantly, ensure that states only issue commercial driver’s licenses to well-trained, highly qualified individuals.”

Earn a Learner’s Permit

Under the new proposal, states can issue a CDL learner’s permit, with a one-year expiration date, which goes beyond the current six-month limitation. The added time cuts down on excessive costs and paperwork incurred by DOT agencies. It also eliminates re-testing and other additional fees accrued from renewals.

It also eliminates re-testing and other additional fees

“At the core of both proposals is the safety of the motoring public. We will continue to demand that commercial truck and bus drivers, and their employers, adhere to the safety standards that exist to protect all drivers,” Jefferson added.

A Much Needed Boost

With truck driving being one of the most preeminent professions in the United States, having such a severe shortage of drivers has put a serious hurting on the trucking industry. With 75 percent of all freight in the United States is being transported and delivered via trucks, anything that can fill the hole in personnel will come as a boon to the industry.

Having such a severe shortage of drivers has put a serious hurting on the trucking industry

Will Self-Driving Trucks Eliminate the Need for Drivers?

There is another consideration for the trucking industry. Concern for the future of truck drivers has been growing as the technology continues to develop. Many are worried that as self-driving trucks take to the roads, there will be no need for drivers. With 1 percent of the total labor force in the United States is being made up of truck drivers, phasing all drivers out of the picture would result in unemployment rates rising. However, there are many who believe that this alarmist prediction is a bit premature. In fact, with the disruptive technology coming to bare, there’s a lot of new potentials out there for the future.

There are many who believe that this alarmist prediction is a bit premature

“When the personal computer came out in the ’80s, people freaked out over that. It created new jobs, new industries, and it redefined certain jobs,” says Cathy Morrow Roberson, head analyst for Logistics Trends and Insights in an article from Trucks.com. “I think the same thing is going to happen with the trucking industry. I think it’s going to get sexy enough for the younger generation to want to get involved.”

Without a doubt, there is a significant change coming to the trucking industry. However, as with almost every disruptive breakthrough, the changes will unlock new potentials for the industry, strengthening it as a whole.

 

 

 

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