Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

 Recently, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development teamed up with the Nebraska Community College Association, and the Nebraska Trucking Association with the goal of promoting the job opportunities in Nebraska’s growing transportation industry.

The average starting wage for a truck driver in Nebraska ranges from $35,000 to $45,000, and the members of this partnership are focused on helping more Nebraskans obtain the training commercial drivers need, while helping address a national shortage in the transportation industry.

Companies involved in the warehousing, logistics and distribution sectors are one of Nebraska’s fastest growing industries, and transporting goods from part of the country to another plays a central role in keeping commerce moving here in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Our central location and the number of transportation companies already located here in our state provide the opportunity for Nebraska to play an important role in recruiting the drivers needed to fill the gap between supply and demand. The goal of the partnership is to increase the number of commercial driving instructors in the state and to help new drivers obtain the experience needed in a much shorter timeframe.

New drivers will be able to substitute an intensive 250 supervised hours of behind-the-wheel training for the two years of experience typically required. To be hired driver trainees will still need to meet age restrictions, attend an accredited professional driving school, and obtain their commercial driver license.

Nebraska’s community colleges will work with several smaller trucking companies to increase the pool of driving instructors by helping at least 13 companies enroll experienced drivers in the commercial driver instructor program. After completing the program, instructors will be qualified to supervise the 250 hours of behind-the-wheel time for new drivers.

An industry study estimates that 20,000 drivers are needed in the United States, with the potential for a real shortage of trained, experienced commercial drivers to grow in the years to come. It is essential that we find attract and train people to meet the growing demand for drivers.

By targeting Nebraska’s trucking firms in rural parts of the state and helping them increase their pool of driving instructors, we are ensuring that small companies are well-positioned to grow. As they are able recruit and train new drivers, these companies will be able to grow; thanks to strong demand for their services.

This is one more example of how state government and our educational institutions are capable of partnering with the private sector as we work to address the challenges facing our state.

This pilot project will help Nebraska companies meet the growing demand for truck drivers, and I applaud the members of this partnership for coming together to address the key challenges facing this growing industry.