By Andrea K. Mowers
With 70% of the nation’s freight carried by commercial trucks and looming threats of rail and port strikes, the existing driver shortage is no small issue in the eyes of ag retailers.
As if that is not enough stress on our nation’s already-stretched-thin supply chain, the new entry-level driver training (ELDT) requirements for new CDL Class A/B or hazardous material drivers were adopted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in February 2022. These requirements flagged a need for the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) to provide its members with training resources to navigate the added regulatory burden.
By partnering with the National Propane Gas Association’s (NPGA) administrative compliance experts (ACE), ARA has officially rolled out its ELDT member service to cut through the regulatory red tape of driver training and also help ag retailers save money while training more truck drivers to hit the road.
What To Expect
This ELDT service prepares drivers for FMCSA’s online curriculum and assessment as well as the in-person behind-the-wheel (BTW) training, allowing BTW training to be done by an in-house, qualified instructor.
“Obtaining CDL drivers in ag retail is becoming more challenging each year,” says Blake Griffin with GreenPoint Ag in Stuttgart, Arkansas. “Using the services available from our ARA membership offers a quick and affordable resource for training new drivers for our location. It allows existing employees to obtain a license without the challenges pertaining to work absence or the high schooling cost. We are able to keep the training internal and on our own schedule.”
NPGA’s ACE services recognize the high importance of getting drivers out on the road in a manner that is both cost-effective and timely. Since these new ELDT requirements originally went into effect, the curriculum has been able to provide training to more than 3,000 drivers through NPGA’s partner network, including several ARA member companies, spread throughout 42 states.
ARA members who decide to leverage this service may opt for a full-service package where NPGA:
- Handles record keeping, filing and audits as a registered training provider
- Offers training materials, checklists and white-glove support along the way
Alternatively, a basic package is available without record keeping, filing and audit support.
“Our company has had many drivers go through the program,” said Dale Beck, energy department manager with CHS Dakota Plains in North Dakota. “To me, signing up and using the program is a no-brainer. It provides simple, straightforward record keeping for a very reasonable cost. Why would any company want to do it any other way?”
Through the concise training resources and equipment guidance that are unlocked through this ARA member service, companies can save up to $3,000 per driver by eliminating the need to send driver-applicants to a driving school.
“New entry-level driver training requirements have increased operating costs on agribusinesses by nearly $8,000 per driver and serve as a barrier to entry for anyone who may be interested in obtaining a commercial driver’s license,” says Richard Gupton, senior vice president of public policy and counsel with ARA. “ARA’s main goal in launching this ELDT service for its members is to relieve some of the pressure on ag retailers already challenged by the shortage of drivers and other workers, especially during the busy spring and fall seasons.”
By enrolling drivers in ARA’s ELDT member service, companies are able to put their focus on training drivers while ACE focuses on all of the administrative and compliance matters that go on behind the scenes.
Driver Shortage Relief
According to a 2021 study by the American Trucking Associations, the driver shortage reached a record high of roughly 81,000 drivers—a number expected to grow to 160,000 by 2030 if no changes are made.
The ELDT member service is just one way ARA is taking aim at the driver shortage; ARA advocates for federal policies that relieve the pressure on ag retailers. In an industry like ours where trucking demand is outpacing the supply of available drivers, expanding the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program would mean more 18- to 20-year-old truck drivers could enter the labor pool to fill part of the workforce demand.
“We would like to hire qualified and interested young people right out of high school and begin them on a rewarding career,” said Mike Twining with Willard Agri-Service during his testimony on behalf of ARA to the House Committee on Agriculture.
During that February hearing, Twining also underscored the need for regulatory consistency, urging Congress to pass hours of service legislation that eliminates the “planting and harvesting” seasonal provisions. Since then, ARA and its members have worked together to manage through the driver shortage and many other issues impacting the bottom line of ag retailers nationwide.
