US trucking industry commits to hiring 100,000 military veterans.
The US trucking lobby is looking to veterans of the country’s armed forces to help alleviate chronic skill shortages affecting the industry.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has joined the nationwide Hiring 500,000 Heroes campaign, which aims to secure jobs for 500,000 veterans and military spouses.
The ATA has committed on behalf of the trucking industry to hire 100,000 veterans over the next two years.
ATA chairman Duane Long says the campaign is a win-win for all involved.
“A win for those veterans returning from service looking to transition to civilian life and a win for the trucking industry, which is desperate to find dedicated, hard-working and safety-minded people to fill many thousands of open positions as drivers or technicians,” Long says.
The campaign is the brainchild of the US Chamber of Commerce, which began Hiring Our Heroes in 2011 to help veterans and military spouses find meaningful employment.
The campaign to secure 500,000 jobs was launched in March 2012.
Since then, more than 1,700 companies have committed to hiring 585,000 veterans and military spouses. There have been 369,000 confirmed hires so far.
“A strong trucking industry is critical to the growth of our country and our economy. ATA’s pledge to hire and support 100,000 veterans sets a tremendous example for others to follow,” US Chamber of Commerce vice president and Hiring Our Heroes executive director Eric Eversole says.
The ATA and Hiring Our Heroes will use a tracking system as a portal to help match veterans with jobs.
Military veteran Alphonso Lewis, who is now a professional truck driver, says his fellow service members have what it takes to safely move America’s freight.
“Driving a truck has been a tremendously rewarding career for me after my service ended and I know that there are thousands of potential drivers in our military just looking for the opportunity,” he says.
The ATA says there is currently a shortage of about 30,000 to 35,000 truck drivers.
It predicts the US trucking industry will need to add 100,000 drivers annually over the next decade to keep pace with growing freight volumes.