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For the last several decades, there has seemingly been only one answer to that question: college. With the sky-high price of college tuition, there has never been a better time for young people to make sure they consider all of their options. Among them, foregoing college to pursue a good-paying job that turns into a rewarding career in the commercial trucking industry.

The job that likely first comes to mind when hearing about the commercial trucking industry, is truck driver. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) reports that the U.S. as a whole is short 80,000 truck drivers. This means that anyone who is able to obtain their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is almost guaranteed to get a job.

The truck driver shortage has led to a situation that is resulting in increasing wages. A recent report indicates that the median truckload driver earned more than $69,000 per year, and that the median salary for a driver at a private fleet was $85,000. These are wages that many four-year college degree holders have to work many years to attain. During those years, they are likely paying expensive student loans debt, as the average student loan debt is $28,950 per borrower.

While it will vary by entity and by region, CDL training school will cost a fraction of that number. However, paying tuition to attend CDL training school might not even be necessary. In many cases, future CDL drivers can learn on the job and get educated by the very company that will ultimately employ them as a driver.

The other big area of opportunity for folks who may be seeking immediate employment rather than pursuing a four-year college degree is commercial truck engine maintenance. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) writes that “About 28,500 openings for diesel service technicians and mechanics are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.”

Today’s diesel truck engines are vastly different from what they were like 30 or 40 years ago. They are more efficient and have significantly reduced their emissions. Even more importantly, they are very technologically advanced. Much like passenger cars do, new commercial truck engines have essentially computer systems in them. Part of this is on-board diagnostics, meaning that the technician will immediately be notified of exactly what is wrong and needs to be addressed. In older versions of truck engines, that was not the case. Technology is making the job of an engine maintenance technician easier than it used to be. That is also the case with driving jobs, as new trucks offer comfort and advanced safety technologies (electronic stability control, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, to name a few) that did not exist decades ago.

The decision to not pursue a four-year college degree, or at least not immediately, is a big one. It is also a trend that has already started. A paper from the Brookings Institution states, “From 2010 to 2021, undergraduate enrollment dropped by 15%, translating into about 2.6 million fewer students.”

A career as a maintenance technician or a driver in the commercial trucking industry will be a rewarding one. Everything that we buy was on a truck at one point or another, during its journey to the store where you bought it, or your front door step. Without truck drivers and the technicians who maintain the trucks, our economy would stop. We could not get food, medication, clothing, or anything else.

For anyone looking for a long and rewarding career that does not require steep student loan debt in order to get there, consider seeking employment with a trucking company in your area.

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As you’re driving to a pool party or barbeque with friends and family, you will likely drive alongside one of America’s 3.5 million professional truck drivers this summer. America’s truck drivers are on the roadways across America, traveling over 4.5 billion collective miles a year to deliver the essential goods that our communities here in Colorado and nationwide rely on.

While it may not always be top of mind for consumers, most everything we eat, wear, or use is brought to us by a truck. You may be surprised to learn that 79.4% of our state’s communities rely solely on trucking for the delivery of their goods. Without trucking, the everyday goods our families, businesses, schools and hospitals rely on would not be available in our Colorado communities. Trucking is also a strong contributor to our local economy, with 42,710 of trucking companies in Colorado providing over 130,720 jobs in our communities. In total, the industry contributes over $700 billion in revenue a year in the U.S.

The essentiality of trucking is why Colorado truck drivers are especially proud to be part of this great American industry. From hauling the goods that keep our store shelves stocked, to the fuel that keeps our gas stations well supplied, truck drivers take great pride in knowing that they are delivering goods that keep our country and economy moving forward. That is why the safe and on-time delivery of the goods they haul is so important to our industry’s drivers.

For truck drivers, there is no greater personal responsibility when making their delivery than safety when behind the wheel – to keep themselves and other motorists safe as they deliver America’s goods. But safety is more than just a driver’s personal responsibility; it’s also prioritized throughout the industry. From companies providing the most up to date safety training programs that focus on best practices and techniques for their drivers, to the industry investing billions in the latest safety technology for trucks, America’s trucking industry is fully dedicated to road safety for all drivers.

While driving next to a large truck can be intimidating for some drivers, you can rest assured knowing that the truck driver next to you is a well-trained professional. Truck drivers take great pride in their safety records. In fact, there are many drivers who have accumulated millions of safe driving miles while making their deliveries. The industry and its companies celebrate the accomplishments of these drivers through many industry championship events and award programs.

In Colorado, we encourage you to check out the Mountain Rules campaign, a partnership with CMCA, the Colorado State Patrol, and CDOT here.

Nationwide, the trucking industry as a whole also helps to give back by educating motorists on trucking’s safe driving tips by hosting safe driving programs. For example, during busy travel seasons, many company and association sponsored programs, such as ATA’s Share the Road, which has some of the industry’s safest drivers, gives the motoring public safe driving tips to make the roads safer for all drivers.

Some of the safety tips for motorists include: remain calm and always operate at safe speeds and distances. Traffic, especially during the busy summer travel season, can be frustrating, but we all want to get home to our family safety once we’ve completed our travel journey. By driving the posted speed limit and following road signs, we can all ensure that happens. When passing a truck, drivers should signal and provide enough room ahead of the truck. Trucks have a much shorter stopping distance, so it’s important that after passing a truck, you keep going and don’t stop short. If you visualize a football field, that’s the length it takes a fully loaded tractor trailer to stop.

As we travel the roads together this summer, we hope you will keep these tips top of mind and join with the Colorado trucking industry to help keep our roads safe for all drivers this summer.

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By Ellen Voie, President & CEO

Women in Trucking Association

The trucking industry has traditionally been a male-populated field. However, in recent years, more and more women have been entering the industry and making a name for themselves. Women now make up around 14% of the trucking workforce in the United States, up from just 4% in 2000. While this is still a relatively small percentage, it represents a significant increase and shows that the industry is becoming more inclusive.

There are many reasons why women are drawn to the trucking industry. For some, it is a chance to earn a good income and support their families. For others, it is a way to see the country and experience new places. Whatever the reason, women are proving that they can be just as successful as their male counterparts in this challenging field.

One of the challenges that women face in the trucking industry is the physical demands of the job. Truck driving requires long hours of sitting, sometimes heavy lifting, and maneuvering large vehicles. However, with proper training and equipment, women can perform these tasks just as well as men.

Another challenge for women in the trucking industry is safety. Women are more vulnerable to harassment and assault when working in male-dominated fields, and trucking is no exception. However, many companies are taking steps to address these issues and create a safer working environment for all employees.

More than a decade ago, carriers didn’t focus on attracting and retaining women.  The typical response was that they just “hired the best person.”  However, the playing field wasn’t level for women, as trucks had been designed with men in mind, uniforms weren’t sized for women and even the truck stops had male only community showers and driver’s lounges.

This has changed as we provide more data about the benefits women bring to the industry.  Female drivers have been proven to be safer than their male counterparts and are often better with paperwork, more customer friendly and often better with the equipment. Women are risk averse and collaborative, which makes a more attractive driver, regardless of the type of load or size of the rig.

The Women in Trucking Association is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting the employment of women in the trucking industry. The organization provides resources and support for women who are already working in the industry, as well as for those who are considering a career in trucking. It also works with companies to develop programs and policies that promote gender diversity and inclusivity.

In addition to promoting gender diversity in the trucking industry, the Women in Trucking Association also advocates for the safety and well-being of women in the industry. The organization has developed a Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention guide as well as White Papers on parking, safety and the annual WIT index to track the data regarding women in all roles within the trucking industry.

In conclusion, it is an important time to reflect on the progress that has been made in terms of gender equality and to honor the women who have fought for women’s rights. While the trucking industry has traditionally been a male-populated field, more and more women are entering the industry and proving that they can be just as successful as their male colleagues.

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For more than 100 years, the red poppy has been a symbol of sacrifice, worn by Americans to honor those who served and died for our country in war. It reminds Americans of the costs paid by our veterans – especially the ultimate price – while protecting our freedoms.  Traditionally, in the United States, “Red Poppy Day” is the start of the Memorial Day weekend.

The poppy as a symbol of war casualties started with a poem. In the spring of 1915, Canadian artillery surgeon Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae saw bright-red poppies blooming on the war-torn fields where many soldiers had lost their lives. The sight inspired him to write “In Flanders Fields”:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

University of Georgia professor Moïna Michael wrote in response; “We Shall Keep Faith.”  She also started wearing a red poppy in honor of fallen troops and added the idea of making and selling red poppies to raise money for veterans.

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.

In the U.S. the poppy tradition became part of America’s Memorial Day remembrance.

Originally called Decoration Day, with origins traced back to the aftermath of the Civil War, the day was a time for Americans to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and to honor their sacrifice.

It is unclear where exactly this solemn tradition originated.  Some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865.

In May of 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Union Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance. “The 30th of May 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed.  He chose the date of “Decoration Day”, as he called it because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

On that first Decoration Day, General (and later President) James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, where 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Civil War soldiers buried there.  In the years after, states individually adopted May 30 as Memorial Day and in 1971, it became a national holiday observed the final Monday of each May.  Red Poppy Day now falls the Friday before.

The Census Bureau notes at least one in 10 truckers are veterans, double the rate of workers in general.  Truckers outpace other occupations as a destination for veterans.  So don’t be surprised if you see a truck driver wearing a red flower on Memorial Day weekend, and if you do, now you know why.

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The Virtual Convoy kicks off this month across the country. The goal is simple, help raise awareness for WAA’s year-round mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom, while helping each raise funds to support for local programs important to the people of [state]. Through WAA’s Group Sponsorship Program, CMCA is registered as a $5 pay back Sponsorship Group supporting Arlington National Cemetery – where more than 400,000 servicemembers, representing every U.S. conflict and the state of Colorado, are laid to rest.

Through this effort, CMCA will be working to fill (virtually) one trailer load of sponsored veterans’ wreaths to send to Arlington National Cemetery this December. This is approximately 5,000 wreaths which will be laid on the final resting place of servicemembers from our state. With each $17 veteran’s wreath sponsored and American hero receives a wreath, and the year-round mission of WAA is supported, AND the Association will receive $5 back!

“Each year, WAA partners with more than 300 transportation companies who help us “move the mission.” These companies donate equipment, fuel, staffing, and time to deliver loads of sponsored veterans’ wreaths to their final resting places on the headstones of our nation’s servicemembers laid to rest at more than 3,700 participating cemeteries nationwide,” said Courtney George, Manager of Transportation and Industry Relations, WAA. “The Virtual Convoy which will help expand this reach within the industry through the partnership and support of State Trucking Associations across the country.”

To support CMCA in reaching its goal, please consider sponsoring a wreath at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/coloradomotor.

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond. 

Press contacts

Kate Young

Colorado Motor Carriers Association

kate@cmca.com

303-433-3375 ext. 107

Sean Sullivan

Wreaths Across America
ssullivan@wreathsacrossamerica.org
(207) 230-4599

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The Maintenance Council hosted the 10^th Annual TopTech Competition Saturday, April 22,2023. Thank you, Lincoln Tech, for hosting the competition and a big shout out to all of those who volunteered to judge for the day…Thank you!

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