WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE CO. (WOLF) — A local commercial driver’s license learning center is highlighting the need for new truck drivers amid a nationwide truck driver shortage.
Fortis Institute’s CDL Program Director Frank Tunis says the shortage is due to an aging workforce and an increasing need for drivers amid e-commerce popularity.
“Now everybody expects that Amazon package to deliver that package to their doorstep tomorrow and it needs to get there somehow. We’re not flying drones out here yet and a lot of drivers need to handle that,” said Tunis.
With over 40 years of truck driving experience, Tunis says becoming a truck driver isn’t just a job, it’s a lifestyle.
“When I started and I was younger, I wanted to see different parts of the country and I wanted to get out and do things. For a lot of us old drivers, once it’s in your blood, it’s hard to get out of,” said Tunis.
That lifestyle was adopted by many members of the baby boomer generation, and Tunis says a reason for the shortage is their retirement.
“You’ve got to be ready to be out for two or three nights a week or maybe for a week at a time. It’s harder now to find young people that want to do that job,” said Tunis.
Despite this, students like William Race work toward their CDL.
“I have family that have been in the CDL business for a long time and I want to continue on with it,” said Race.
Race is nearing completion of the course, and he hopes to take advantage of the range of job opportunities that comes with a CDL.
“I know I don’t want to stay out on the road. I want to be local and stay close to my family,” said Race.
With a focus on technical skills and lifestyle knowledge, the 480-hour CDL course is a mix of classroom, closed range course and open road experience.
“How to be safe on the road, how to eat on the road, how to conduct yourself. They spend ten weeks in the classroom doing that,” said Tunis.
A CDL can be obtained from 18 years old, but those looking to drive out of Pennsylvania must wait until age 21, although truck driving is a second career for many older adults.
“We’re seeing a lot of those 18- and 19-year-olds that are out of school and want to do something different. We’re also seeing people in their 30s and 40s that are displaced,” said Tunis.
For more information on obtaining your CDL click here.