Kilgore College’s new institution to help with truck driver shortage

KILGORE — With a nationwide truck driver shortage, Kilgore college is working to bridge the gap by opening a new training institution, focusing on safety in training. According to our news partner KETK, Kilgore College has been training truck drivers on campus since 2010, now their program is expanding due to a rising need. At their ribbon cutting, the college shared some staggering statistics saying the shortage of drivers has now topped 60,000 nationally.

According to the American Journal of Transportation by 2030 there will be a shortage of 160,000 drivers. The journal said several factors are causing the shortage including a high demand for truck drivers, a retiring workforce and a lack of new drivers.

Elizabeth Leamon, an instructor for the program, said it stems from tighter regulations industry wide with officials cracking down on a driver’s educational background.

“Safety, safety, safety, it’s not just a driver but a safe driver. It’s one that has been trained properly prior to where they’re going,” Leamon said. “A lot of companies are looking into how many hours behind the wheel you had, what institution you went to. And some of these people that are going to regular institutions that might not be accredited.”

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Kilgore College officially opened the new training institute that could offer new opportunities for future students.

“We hope to be able to run that up to 250 to 300 students a year to graduate this program to be able to fill the need for the local companies,” D’Wayne Shaw said. “We’ve got everything from a normal teaching classroom to a phenomenal track around the outside to simulate most of the things that they’re going to see on the road.”

With the goal that these new facilities would prepare future students for anything the winding roads would throw at their way.

“To make sure we do put the safest drivers out there for your family for my family,” Shaw said. “We want to make sure that whoever is operating these needed but very huge vehicle’s is doing it in the safest possible way.”