YADKIN COUNTY, N.C. — A Triad area community college is working to help tackle the national truck driver shortage.
According to the American Trucking Association, the current driver shortage has risen to 80,000. That is an all-time high for the industry.
Dr. Douglas Underwood is the Director of the Surry Community College (SCC) Yakin Center. He said SCC’s truck driver training program is helping to fill in the gap.
“Just in Surry and Yadkin counties there are about 200 openings for CDL drivers in various areas,” Underwood said. “I know just locally in Yadkin county we had around 40 jobs open for our local trucking companies."
Eleven students recently graduated from the truck driver training program at the Yadkin Center. Underwood said graduates are qualified to take the Commercial Driver's License test and can then get jobs with commercial trucking firms.
“Generally, these truck driving students will start out making around $50,000 to $60,000 a year and the estimates are with years’ experience that can go up to $70,000 or 80,000 dollars depending on the company they work for,” Underwood said.
SCC is offering two sections of Truck Driver Training classes starting this summer. The first will run from May 26 through August 4. Underwood says most tuition can be covered by grants.