EDISON, N.J., Mar 02, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- There's a shortage of 20,000 truck drivers in America and 10% of all the major fleets have trucks sitting up against the fence because of a shortage of drivers.
Three quarters of all the goods in America are shipped by truck and deliveries nationwide are being slowed because of the problem.
Trucking companies are scrambling to find drivers--who must have a commercial driver's license--offering signing bonuses and 401K's. The average annual starting salary for a short haul driver is $37,500, $50,000 for long haul and union drivers make on average about $60,000. Meanwhile, there are 7.4 million Americans out of work. Unquestionably, there is a solution.
Smith & Solomon Driver Training operates 10 training facilities in the Northeast, graduating about 2,000 students a year.
"Many people don't realize that getting a Commercial Driver's License is a lot less expensive and a lot easier than going to a technical school where the cost is much higher and the training is four to 10 times longer," notes Mike Baker, Smith & Solomon marketing director. In the region last year, the company worked with state employment programs to train 900 unemployed people. More than 85 percent returned to the workforce making a total of $33 million in salaries and saving the taxpayer welfare dollars.
"Most of our graduates were males in their twenties and thirties but a good number are older --laid off from blue and white collar jobs," notes Baker. For example, working with the IBEW, Smith & Solomon is training Verizon employees who face layoffs to drive trucks so they can continue working at Verizon or move on.
"We are also helping veterans returning from Iraq to enroll in our training," notes Baker, adding " and we've reached out to veterans groups alerting them to our program so they can help soldiers find jobs."
The real key is letting people know that driving can be an attractive alternative to unemployment or a low paying job. "There are truckers with their CDL making over $100,000 a year right now. "We have a 92% placement rate--if you want to work you will," emphasizes the Smith & Solomon executive.
If you are covering the truck driver shortage or interested in learning more about how it can be solved, please contact Mike Baker at Smith & Solomon Driver Training at 732-777-9400 or Rich Small at 973-641-2353.
SOURCE: Smith & Solomon Driver Training
CONTACT: Smith & Solomon Driver Training Mike Baker, 732-777-9400 or for Smith & Solomon Driver Training Rich Small, 973-641-2353
