California high school program aims to help nation's growing truck driver shortage
David Dien said the goal of school's CDL program is to create a pipeline of well-trained truck drivers.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Patterson High School in California is introducing students to the possibility of a career in truck driving, an industry facing worker shortages impacting the nation's supply chain. David Dein, a CDL instructor at the high school, warned the driver shortage will continue to be a problem.
Dein said on "America’s Newsroom" that the truck driving industry is lacking roughly 63,000 drivers and that 25% of current drivers have reached or are nearing the age of retirement. He anticipates the industry will feel the full effect from those retiring within five years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There is a huge demand, and a part of our goal here is just not to fill seats," he said. "We want to make sure that we create a pipeline of young, well-trained talent for the future."
The ongoing labor shortage has resulted in massive cargo delays and has disrupted the supply chain, threatening a crisis going into the holiday season.
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao said the shortage could become a "new normal," blaming the Biden administration’s government assistance programs like debt forgiveness and rent relief for the decline in labor force participation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bob Nardelli, former CEO of Home Depot and Chrysler, warned the problem could become a national emergency and may require involvement from the U.S. military.
Dien, however, is working on a small-scale and long-term solution to get young Americans directly into the industry.
Isael Medina, a recent graduate of the Patterson High School CDL program, told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer that Dien’s class inspired him to pursue a career in truck driving.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"What motivates me is how Dien told me there's a shortage of truckers, and I really enjoy this career path," Medina said. "So it's not mostly about the money, it's mostly just about helping out my community."
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Dien said the average age of people entering the truck driving industry is 38 years old, which he said means people generally choose truck driving as a second or third career choice.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We really want people like Isael to enter into this industry as a first career choice -- who really care about the industry, who have a passion for it."