There’s a high demand for truck drivers in Idaho; jobs that can pay up to 6-figures

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Last week KMVT reported that The American Trucking Association had a new record high of more than 82,000 shortages in 2024 on truck drivers.

The association reported that in order to keep up with demand, trucking needs more than 1 million new drivers over the next decade to replace those leaving the industry. The Department of Transportation finds a lot of demand with trucking steadily growing, month after month.

According to the president and CEO of the Idaho Trucking Association, Allen Hodges, these jobs aren’t getting filled because of the falsehoods surrounding truck driving and age restrictions.

“You have a lot of people retiring from the industry, and that leaves open spots. There’s a misconception that truck driving requires being away from home when a lot of the truck driving jobs, you’re home every day. you know local deliveries,” said Hodges.

Federal law also requires a person to be 21 years or older to cross state lines. The industry has been pushing for the law to be adjusted to allow 18- to 20-year-olds to cross state lines.

There are approximately 5,000 jobs available for trucking alone in the state of Idaho. Drivers can make up to six figures in truck driving depending on the classifications of your driver’s license.

“One in 15 jobs in Idaho is in trucking, that’s how important it is. People forget [how] day-to-day that trucking impacts their lives, if we don’t have drivers delivering the goods, our grocery stores become empty. the necessities that we depend on every day is delivered by trucks, right down to amazon packages and fuel,” said Hodges.

For more information on how to become a driver, visit Idaho work force. In the state of Idaho, CDL training will be paid for by employers and grants are available for others. President and CEO Hodges says that Idaho employers do offer health benefits in the state, in order to keep and retain drivers. Health benefits are normally not available for temporary trucking jobs.

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