ATA Pledges to Create Greater Opportunities in Trucking

Association Pledges to Enroll At Least 50,000 People in Enhanced Career Programs

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Jul 19, 2018, 15:47 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., July 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, leaders from the American Trucking Associations pledged that the trucking group would provide at least 50,000 people enhanced career opportunities as part of today's Trump administration announcement to provide pathways to better careers for a half a million Americans.

"ATA is proud to be part of this effort to provide enhanced career opportunities to hard-working Americans. Our nation's economy depends on our trucks moving goods from ports, factories and farms to stores and homes – and we depend on the millions of men and women who drive those trucks, maintain those trucks, load and unload those trucks and route those trucks," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "We appreciate President Trump and Secretary Acosta making this a priority and having the vision to follow through with today's executive order. We hope that through this workforce development effort, we will be able to connect more Americans to family-supporting incomes and address the persistent shortage we face in attracting enough well-trained workers to our industry. The economy is strong and unemployment is low, but there are critical shortages of skilled workers in sectors of the economy, like truck drivers, technicians and mechanics. We support these efforts to help ensure Americans have the skills and training needed to support the modern economy."

ATA was represented at today's White House event by past ATA Chairman Dan England, chairman of the board at C.R. England Inc., Salt Lake City.

"C.R. England believes in providing hard-working Americans a path to a better life," England said. "That's why we work so hard at our driving schools and training facilities, giving people a place to learn important and valuable skills that can keep our industry and our economy moving.

"Our industry is under constant pressure to bring in new drivers and new technicians to replace an aging workforce and to keep up with the demands of a modern, just-in-time economy," he said. "Today's announcement underscores our commitment, and ATA's commitment, to doing all we can to provide opportunities for careers in trucking."

At today's announcement, ATA pledged to offer enhanced career opportunities to 10,000 people a year, every year, for the next five years, bringing the total commitment to 50,000.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward

SOURCE American Trucking Associations