With Commercial Truck Drivers In High Demand, Georgia Training Facilities Eye Expansion

A sharp increase in e-commerce during the pandemic has put commercial truck drivers in high demand.

Emil Moffatt/WABE

Georgia lawmakers have added funding to the budget for the upcoming year to expand truck driver training facilities at three of the state’s technical colleges.

It’s part of a wider effort – from both the public and private sector – to fill a shortage of commercial truck drivers.

The retirement of many longtime truck drivers led to the most recent shortage that peaked in the year 2018, says Brad Ball, president of Roadmaster Drivers School. He says the industry was nearly back to full strength when the pandemic hit.