White House releases plan to strengthen trucking workforce

As the nation faces a supply chain crisis, the White House wants to strengthen the trucking workforce.

On Thursday, Dec. 16, the Biden administration announced a plan to reduce barriers to drivers receiving a CDL, expand the use of apprenticeships and the recruitment of military veterans, and launch an initiative aimed at making trucking a more attractive long-term career.

“A stronger trucking workforce is one where trucking jobs are good, safe, and stable – jobs that employers can attract a new generation of drivers into while retaining existing drivers to deliver for clients and grow their businesses,” the White House said in a news release.

OOIDA President Todd Spencer attended the White House event on Dec. 16 and said he planned to tell the administration that the best way to show appreciation for drivers is through a paycheck.

“It’s not unreasonable for drivers to be expected to be paid for their time on the job,” Spencer said in a Facebook video before Thursday’s meeting. “It’s too frequent and too common that drivers are held for as much as 30 hours a week simply trying to get loaded and unloaded. Those core issues need to be addressed, and we certainly want to be at the table to make sure that those issues are not only considered but acted on.”

Reducing CDL barriers

FMCSA will provide over $30 million in funding to help states expedite CDLs. In addition, FMCSA is sending all 50 states a tool kit detailing specific actions they can take to expedite licensing and will work hand in hand with states to address the challenges they are facing. The agency will also work to reduce any delays in issuing CDLs.

Registered apprenticeships

The administration says it will kick off a 90-day challenge to accelerate the expansion of registered apprenticeships in the trucking industry.

“This 90-day challenge is a national effort to recruit employers interested in developing new registered apprenticeship programs and expanding existing programs to help put more well-trained drivers on the road in good trucking jobs,” the White House said.

There also will be a focus on recruiting military veterans to be truck drivers. The White House estimates that there are about 70,000 veterans who have received certified trucking experience in the past five years.

Driving Good Jobs initiative

The U.S. DOT and U.S. Department of Labor announced an initiative that will be focused on the creation of listening sessions that engage drivers on how to improve the quality of trucking jobs. The program will include a driver compensation study and a task force to investigate predatory truck leasing programs.

In the next 90 days, the DOT and DOL plan to deliver a comprehensive action plan aimed at improving the profession. LL