While the trucking industry goes on and on about the “driver shortage” and how hard it is to find qualified truckers, at least one state is experiencing something unexpected: there are too many people who want to be truckers.
According to the Arkansas Trucking Association, there’s a disconnect between how many people can complete trucking school and how many testing sites can give a skills test. There are only 10 3rd party locations in the entire state of Arkansas that are approved to conduct the skills portion of the test. But these are not large testing facilities that can handle a high volume of test takers – there are less than 20 3rd party testers total.
Of course there are also tests administered by state police at troop testing sites, but they can only accommodate so much.
One school, the College of Ouachitas, is in plans to launch its commercial driver’s license training course next month, but it isn’t able to get a third party tester. The instructor in charge of the course, Scott Sikora, says that his college is near a state police headquarters, but that their 2-hour tests are only done during three-hour windows Monday through Friday which would make it impossible for a class to be tested in a timely manner.
Sikora says that the best way would be to shuttle students to Little Rock an hour away and just hope that they can be scheduled for some time that day, otherwise they will have to spend the night and try again the next day.
“What I’m getting at is, without the availability of a third-party tester to be able to be as flexible in the scheduling needs for our testing, I’m really at the mercy of the state,” Sikora said.
The head of the Arkansas Trucking Association, Shannon Newton, said that she doesn’t know “exactly what the solution will look like,” but that “I think we can demonstrate a need and somewhere within the department or the agency they’ll be able to find the resources to meet our need.”
Source: arkansasonline
Image Source: depositphoto
What a be’s. I would drive again if maryland mva stop the b’s. Saying i cant pass the pre trip. I have been driving for 6 years and surrendered my class a in north Carolina by accident. The lady gave me a car licences instead of my class a. Been to the mva in maryland 10 times with my company truck and they wont stop playing games. If you would like more details e mail me mragoo@aol.com. Good luck everybody.
When they gave you the drivers license why didn’t you look at it and see that it was not a class a… And why did you even leave without checking ???
This MAY be 1 reason! But MOST of the reasons for the driver shortage. Is all the BS, these companies are “Claiming” they need be4 experienced drivers can even go to work for them! Plus, all the BS from DOT an the Govt. Morons who make stupid rules and laws, with NO experience as a driver! Drivers also need to start making a Hell of a lot more money! I’ve ran into drivers who made more back in the 70’s and 80’s, then now! That’s the main reason guys don’t want to drive anymore! Not to mention all the thieving companies, making money off the trucks, by buying an selling the units and not giving a damn about the loads or drivers! Plus, the fact, there’s loads rotting on docks all over this country because the same thieving companies, are getting Insurance checksfor the loads, that are worth more then if they deliver the loads! Where’s the incentive to deliver, if it can rott and everybody gets paid for it anyway!
I once applied to be an instructor at a driving school because of my experience since ’62. I was told they couldn’t afford me! The shortage of good drivers comes from the low pay for instructors. Even now I have never been asked to be a trainer at any company I’ve worked for since the ’80’s.
I agree with the low pay for instructors. In 1988 I went to for for a school and they were paying me 7.50 per hour . When I left a little over a year later I was up to 9.50. They trucking companies in the area were paying around 15 per hr. back then and we were told that they were paying us top dollar .
Yes sir..I’m dealing with that situation as we speak. I’m a instructor at a private school in Georgia. Going on almost three years i been there. I’m already a lead instructor due to no one can stay long enough before they go broke. Back to the road they go. Start out $12 hrs first year. Basically $100 a day equals out to be. While the school brings in about $3mill a year. Passing rate at state dds goes up and down. With new instructors and new student drivers some students have to test 5,6 times to pass being 7 day wait each time then they get otr training for several more weeks.
What a crock of bs. There’s no driver shortage.
If there is a driver shortage, why are the rates so low?
Exactly…. A matter of supply and demand… Rates are low because there are too many drivers to take the loads …. They want you to think the opposite …
I disagree, there is a driver shortage! They are shortage of drivers who will spend weeks and months away from home, spent numerous unpaid hours loading and unloading, get harassed by dot all day ,subject to fines of half your paycheck if you make a mistake, Many more unpaid hours if your truck breaks down and needs repair, Crap from company, dispatcher, recievers and shippers on a daily basis, crap from 4-wheelers who think we are on the road for the only purpose of slowing them down 5 mph when they are in a hurry to get to work, Many more unpaid hours for cleaning, fueling, and filling out realms of paperwork/logs. Yeh, I would say there is a driver shortage all right, I wonder why?
a lack of testers ??? …lol …
how about the low pay given in return for the extremely serious nature of the job …
and , the extremely low pay in light of the 24 hr a day responsibility ….
Let me see, it’s the poor pay and poor treatment drivers are receiving from companies. And is thanks to congress and the fmcsa making it ok to blame the driver for Everything. Added that people are quitting do to driver facing cameras and elog systems. Coupled with dispachers using both of those to violate drivers professionalism and work space. In most cases not even giving drivers a chance to prove there skills and abilities. Plus with very slow governed trucks. drivers just not making anything. I told the company I just work for. As far as I’m concerned. The is to save the driver and nail the motorist who caused the wreck. The first time you try to use it against me. Will be the last time I will work for you.