Five truck driver training programs that recently received course recertification from the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI) expect the driver shortage and increased regulations will benefit their programs and the driving public.


The locations that received the five-year certification are All-State Career, Baltimore; Baker College of Flint, both the Flint and Saginaw, Michigan, campuses; Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, Schnecksville, Pennsylvania; and Swift Driving Academy, Lewiston, Idaho.

"I see the predicted driver shortage as a positive for truck driver training programs associated with PTDI," said David Wehman, system program coordinator at Baker College of Flint. "As companies demand more quality in their entry-level positions and as existing drivers with a high PSP score are weeded out of this industry, training programs that insist on putting a professional driver on the road should see an increase in enrollment. And as insurance companies demand quality drivers, companies are demanding more from their drivers as well."

Larry Fishman, campus president at All-State Career, is already witnessing an increased demand. "Our truck driving program has always been our backbone," Fishman noted, "but it's been interesting how in the last 18 months, employers are banging on our doors. One guy came looking for 70 drivers! It creates a buzz in the student body to see these employers coming in wanting to hire."

Randy Zimmerman, coordinator of training at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, concurs. "With Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) regulations out there and insurance company requirements, it means carriers can't lessen their criteria. If anything, they will have to be more stringent in who they hire," Zimmerman said.

According to Zimmerman, Lehigh has also experienced an increase in requests for drivers, and he expects carriers' requests for their graduates will continue to increase, as will the number of students in their program.

"One of our competitors is a stone's throw from us, but we have two things that set our program apart from that college's program: We do one-to-one driver training here and we have PTDI certification. That solidifies people's decisions to choose us."

Loary Roberts, academy director at Swift Driving Academy, said trucking offers a valid employment option in this time of a weak economy and high unemployment. "With the current economy, trucking is the best option. There may be other options out there, but our students say they get to travel, see the country, deal with different people, and they earn a good wage."

In addition, Roberts said that quality training leads to better retention. "All we do is preach safety, for our drivers to be safe when they go out on the road, and I think the better our drivers are trained, the more they will stay with a company."

"Some kinds of employment might be trendy, and some jobs get shipped overseas," added Fishman, "but in the truck driving industry, goods will always have to get from point A to point B across the roads. It's a job that has enduring quality, because there always will be a need for drivers."