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The trucking industry plays one of the most important roles in the transportation of goods. Each year, commercial trucks carry approximately 10.8 Billion tons of goods across the country. Whether it’s helping Americans gain access to daily necessities, keeping grocery store shelves stocked, or delivering lifesaving vaccines, these trucks are stimulating the economy with every delivery. However, in order to keep the economy moving, it’s critical to keep the trucks moving. A sidelined truck due to a maintenance issue can cause repercussions throughout the entire supply chain, which solidifies the need for skilled and dedicated technicians.

The technicians in our Independent Dealer Network are tasked to ensure fleets stay on the road and are able to make every delivery safely and efficiently. While the importance of technicians is not a secret, the trucking industry has been experiencing a shortage in maintenance technicians for a long time. Additionally, a greater concern is that as the technician shortage becomes more severe, the demand for technicians continues to rise. According to a 2020 TechForce Foundation report, demand for diesel service technicians is expected to increase by 6.6% from 2020 to 2024. Much of this demand is created through retirement and turnover, as baby boomers make up approximately 50% of technicians. While retirement does play a big role in the increasing demand for technicians, changing lifestyles and emerging technologies across the world are also relying heavily on a successful trucking industry- which is also creating new technician positions. The continued shortage has the potential to diminish trucking industry growth, which will have a direct effect on the economy.