Truck Driving Program Puts Arkansans to Work
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: September 15, 2011
The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (DWS) has announced the resumption of the Truck Driver Training Pilot Initiative.
DWS is partnering with Arkansas State University - Newport and the Arkansas Trucking Association to offer the program.
All tuition and related training expenses are forgiven if the applicant completes a four-week training course at the Commercial Driver Training Institute at Arkansas State University - Newport and remains on the job for at least one year.
Four Arkansas companies, Maverick USA, Stallion Transportation Group, Tyson Foods and Willis Shaw Express, expect to hire up to 300 graduates at wages exceeding $35,000 the first year.
The job training program was suspended in late 2009 due to the recession and the economic downturn. But the transportation industry is now experiencing a shortage of qualified truck drivers, which necessitated the resumption of the program.
"The state of Arkansas is bringing back an important program to train people who are willing to work for a rewarding career as a professional truck driver," Gov. Mike Beebe said. "Companies tell us that the demand for truck drivers is there, and we want to find Arkansans to fill those jobs."
Click here for more information (including how to apply), or call 1-888-701-8981.
DWS is partnering with Arkansas State University - Newport and the Arkansas Trucking Association to offer the program.
All tuition and related training expenses are forgiven if the applicant completes a four-week training course at the Commercial Driver Training Institute at Arkansas State University - Newport and remains on the job for at least one year.
Four Arkansas companies, Maverick USA, Stallion Transportation Group, Tyson Foods and Willis Shaw Express, expect to hire up to 300 graduates at wages exceeding $35,000 the first year.
The job training program was suspended in late 2009 due to the recession and the economic downturn. But the transportation industry is now experiencing a shortage of qualified truck drivers, which necessitated the resumption of the program.
"The state of Arkansas is bringing back an important program to train people who are willing to work for a rewarding career as a professional truck driver," Gov. Mike Beebe said. "Companies tell us that the demand for truck drivers is there, and we want to find Arkansans to fill those jobs."
Click here for more information (including how to apply), or call 1-888-701-8981.
Comments
Only a misguided fool would become a Truck Driver these days. I have been in this industry for 29 years and it's the worst I have ever seen it. The 3rd Party Logistics Companies have destroyed the Trucking Industry by skimming the profit off of rates and leaving the driver and carriers with bread crumbs. Parking is almost impossible after 6:00PM, Truckstops have filthy showers, the food is unhealthy and over-priced, drivers sit for days waiting on loads, drivers spend hours unpaid waiting to get loaded and unloaded, lot-lizards keep you up all night banging on your truck doors, the DOT uses drivers and carriers for revenue generators, the CSA2010 will eventually make drivers unemployable in any driving job, you get to see America from the windshield of a truck, you can easily get robbed and killed anytime you pull over to sleep, the carriers won't pay the company drivers a livable wage with the expenses they incur. It's a BAD BAD job and stay away! Turnover rate is 125% and climbing.
Jon S.
September 13, 2011 at 11:06 pm
