Despite a slow-growth economy, driver training program administrators with recently certified or recertified Professional Truck Driver Institute courses are experiencing an increase in demand for their graduates and expect to benefit from the federal government's new CSA 2010 enforcement initiative.


Recently PTDI recertified courses in driver training programs at All-State Career School in Lester, Penn.; Northern Industrial Training, Palmer, Alaska; and Vocational Training & Resource Center, Juneau, Alaska; and initially certified a course at Olive-Harvey College Commercial Driver Training in Chicago.

"The current economic situation is bringing additional inquiries to us from people who may not have thought of trucking [as a career]. With carriers hiring again, more opportunities are available, so now is a great time for entry-level truck drivers," said Joanne Ivory, executive director at Olive-Harvey College Commercial Driver Training.

And, with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's CSA 2010 initiative set to become effective in November, Ivory believes their PTDI course-certified program will benefit even further "because employers are placing additional efforts and resources on driver safety."

"Our goal is to teach people how to safely drive a truck, and the PTDI curriculum enhances what we provide," Ivory said. "With the upcoming federal regulations, potential employers will be looking more closely at driver safety and records. New drivers will find good opportunities because they don't have marks on their records."

Joey Crum, executive vice president of Northern Industrial Training, anticipates both the current economic situation and the upcoming CSA 2010 regulations will benefit their program. Because trucking is "one of the more stable career paths in Alaska," according to Crum, "the competition is fairly stiff. But PTDI carries a good reputation, and we have one of the better training programs in the country. Carriers come to hire our graduates because of PTDI's credibility."

When CSA 2010 goes into effect, Crum said he anticipates PTDI will serve them well and their enrollment will increase. "Later this year, we will be training drivers for a local carrier that is sending their employees out here to grow their carrier service." He sees the carrier's willingness to pay to train their drivers as a good economic indicator and an advantage to Northern Industrial, "because we're not only offering training, we have a nationally certified course."

Ivory, whose Chicago-based program received initial PTDI course certification, believes the nationally recognized certification will benefit them as well. "We are excited by the fact that our students get an additional certificate and PTDI gives you national recognition.

According to Amy Antrim, director of education at All-State Career School, "Employers are more selective at this point of time, so we want to be sure our students have everything they need in their pocket, and PTDI is absolutely one of those tools. In this economy, every industry saw a loss of jobs, so more people are competing for the jobs that are out there."

For the future, Crum believes that CSA 2010 will not only benefit driver programs with PTDI-certified courses, but the industry in general. "When these new federal laws come into place, and as the industry follows these regulations, drivers will be seen as more professional."

PTDI is a national, nonprofit organization established for the twofold purpose of developing uniform industry skill, curriculum, and certification standards for entry-level truck driver training and motor carrier driver finishing programs, and certifying entry-level truck driver training courses at public and private schools and driver finishing programs at carriers for compliance with PTDI standards. PTDI is based in Alexandria, Virginia.