Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

Updated: 0 sec ago

With Truck Driver Appreciation Week coming up, trade group rolls out training plan

A person sits at a wheel at a computer screen. Photo / Courtesy Maine Motor Transport Association A driver works with the training simulator.
By Laurie Schreiber

A truck driving simulator and training grants are hitting the road this month in a bid to attract the next generation of drivers and technicians.

The Augusta-based Maine Motor Transport Association is tackling the state’s aging trucking workforce with two big moves:

  • A mobile, gaming-style truck simulator equipped with a working dashboard, motion feedback and a 180-degree view;
  • A commitment from the John Austin Trucking Foundation to provide nearly $200,000 annually in career grants to help aspiring drivers and technicians cover training costs.

The programs are an expansion of the association’s workforce development efforts.

Simulator

The mobile simulator, or “career exploration unit,” hits the road Sept. 15 through Sept. 20 during Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

Photo / Courtesy Maine Motor Transport Association
A mobile, gaming-style truck simulator hits the road next week to recruit the next generation of drivers and technicians.

It will tour schools, community events and career fairs across Maine as follows:

  • Sept. 15: Irving in Fairfield, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Sept. 16: Dysart’s in Hermon, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Sept. 17: Irving in Auburn, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Sept. 18: Irving in Farmington, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sept. 20: Gray Touch-a-Truck Event at the Gray Plaza, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

The unit offers “a hands-on, immersive experience that shows trucking for what it really is today: high-tech, essential and professional,” said Brian Parke, the association’s president and CEO. 

A person stands in front of a truck.
FILE PHOTO / TIM GREENWAY
Brian Parke of the Maine Motor Transport Association, seen here in 2022, says its truck driving simulator and grants program are rolling out to recruit much-needed drivers and technicians.

Grants

The grant program is designed to help aspiring drivers and technicians overcome one of the biggest barriers to entering the industry: cost. 

The association formed the foundation as part of its effort to find and retain a qualified, talented and professional workforce.

Each month, eight grants of up to $2,000 each will be awarded to help offset the cost of commercial driver’s license training, commercial vehicle programs and related certifications. 

In Maine, the average cost to acquire a commercial driver’s license ranges from $5,000 to $10,000. The grants are meant offer meaningful assistance in making a career in trucking more accessible. 

“The John Austin Trucking Foundation is an investment in Maine’s future,” said Parke. “We want to open doors and make it easier for people to gain the skills they need to succeed in the industry. It’s a win-win: individuals get a strong start on a rewarding career, and Maine gets the next generation of professionals who will keep our economy moving forward.”

Social media campaign

The program build on the association’s social media campaign over the last four years, which aims to reshape how young Mainers age 18 to 34 see the trucking industry.

The campaign — called “Go. Your Way” — is run on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. The content is “authentic, funny and insider-driven” storytelling intended to show that trucking isn’t just a job, but a career with growth, stability and meaning, the association said.

The campaign uses video storytelling for a vlog-style series where an ambassador dives into life behind the wheel and under the hood, supported by digital ads and a website.

Workers needed

The industry has an aging workforce and high demand for skilled drivers and technicians.
Industry options range from local and regional driving to office support and technician roles. 

The shortage of drivers and technicians has been the industry’s top issue for years.

The shortage is tied to demand for trucking services, a looming retirement cliff, a negative issue of trucking as a career and onerous regulations.

Sign up for Enews

Mainebiz web partners

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF