In 2021, American trucking companies experienced a record deficit of nearly 80,000 drivers due to hiring and retention challenges. This shortage has impacted all American consumers through delayed shipping and more expensive costs. Many trucking companies have struggled to hire drivers without offering bonuses or increased wages to qualified drivers. And to further compound the issue down the road, the median age of U.S. truck drivers is between 51 and 52 years old.
Will White, the owner of MS Freight Company, who was seeking to employ up to 20 new employees with his company, initially contacted Lt. Col. Lawrence Austin, director of operations at Camp McCain Training Center. He knew the trained professionals of the Mississippi National Guard would be the perfect fit to enhance his team of drivers and mechanics. After the job announcement closed, Lt. Col. Austin found that no soldiers applied because they did not have the required Commercial Driver’s Licenses, even though they were qualified military transportation specialists.
On Tuesday, March 22, Gov. Tate Reeves signed House Bill 1486 after securing unanimous support in the Mississippi House and Senate. The bill revises Mississippi’s CDL qualification standards, requiring the Commission of Public Safety to implement test waivers for currently serving military members and military veterans who have established training and experience operating heavy military vehicles.
The Mississippi National Guard has engaged several platforms to inform and educate trained service members on the new opportunities the legislation offers. This united effort will harness the value of military training and translate military expertise to careers in the civilian workforce.
Twenty service members from the 1168th Transportation Unit converted their military licenses to CDL-A with the Department of Public Safety last weekend at Camp McCain. Service members had the opportunity Friday to participate in the on-site licensing with DPS and CDL simulator experience with the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation at Camp McCain. A barbecue networking event with MS Freight, Total Transportation, Holmes Trucking and Work for Warriors Program was also hosted there. Saturday, the soldiers took part in over the road driving experiences with MS industry partners, Total Transportation and Holmes Trucking Company.
“Dwight Brown, owner of Goal Line CDL, reached out to MS Freight once the bill was signed asking them to get these soldiers in not only to help them get their CDLs, but to help them meet partners and to get them more acquainted to see future job opportunities,” Mississippi National Guard Director of the Work for Warriors Program Sarah Frey said.
“We had to gradually ease into this,” White said. “With this being something new we knew it may not go just right. This took months and months to plan, and I really think this first event overall went very well. When they reached out to me about a year ago, wanting me to be in on this, I jumped on the opportunity.”
For the event, three training stations were established and soldiers broke into groups for practice. Station one consisted of hooking and unhooking and straight line backing. At station two, drivers had to maneuver a 45-degree backing and at station three they maneuvered a 90-degree backing.
“There are some truck stops at the end of the isle, it may turn but you don’t have a lot of space,” Josh Rule, senior training manager for Total Transportation, said. “This 90-degree maneuver they are practicing is designed for tight spacing when you don’t have but about 20 feet in front of you.”
For the driving skills test waiver, a service member must have been assigned a position that requires them to operate heavy military vehicles. This waiver will be available to members with at least 2 years of safe vehicle operation.
“I have been driving with the National Guard for 10 years and this has been a great experience,” Sgt. Whitney King of the 1687th Transportation Unit said. “With my years of driving in the military, I was able to get my CDL-A. I can say, some of these courses weren’t easy, but they worked with us and helped us, because they believed in us. I had a lot of fun with this.”
The new law will allow more job opportunities for military service members, provide a resolution for transportation demands and will strengthen the supply chain.
“Now that I have my CDLs, I want a local truck driving job,” Spc. Zion Lee of the 1687th Transportation Unit said. “Truck drivers make good money and when I am not working with the military, having a job doing something I’m already experienced in would be crazy to pass up.”
Once training was finished Saturday afternoon, the soldiers took part in a competition put together by Rule, Frey and Education Specialist Maj. Heath Morgigno.
“We set up a turning course, a 45-degree reverse and a straight line reverse,” Rule said. “Whoever finishes top in each course will receive a $50 gift card.”
Sgt. Whitney King finished top in the turning course, Sgt. Isaiah Patterson finished top in straight-line reverse and Devin Holcomb finished top in 45-degree reverse.
“For this to be our first event, we wanted to start out slow, just to really get our feet wet,” Frey concluded. “It all went wonderful and everything ran smoothly. We look forward to adding more of these events in the future. I cannot thank everyone enough that had his or her hand in this and was involved in making this event so great. I appreciate everything everyone did to make this event possible.”
