Bill Graves urges industry to focus on technician shortage

by Truck News

ARLINGTON, Va. – The growing shortage of truck technicians in the United States is becoming a problem and today ATA president and CEO Bill Graves called on the country’s policymakers, schools, and trucking industry to do something about it.

“In our industry, we often talk about the impact of the shortage of truck drivers,” he said. “But we mustn’t forget trucking’s need to have many skilled technicians and mechanics to keep their rigs in working order and their wheels moving.”

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, trucking will need to recruit 67,000 new technicians by 2022 due to growth or to replace men and women currently working in the industry.

“Trucking moves America forward and technicians keeps those trucks moving,” added Carl Kirk, ATA vice-president of maintenance, information technology & logistics and executive director of ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council. “We’re encouraged that ATA, as the industry leader, is urging people who can make a difference to focus on ways to address the looming technician shortage.”

“ATA hopes that TMC’s efforts, including events like TMCSuperTech and TMCFutureTech competitions, can highlight professional excellence and serve as a recruiting tool to bring more qualified individuals into this important career,” Graves said.


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  • “In our industry, we often talk about the impact of the shortage of truck drivers,” he said. “But we mustn’t forget trucking’s need to have many skilled technicians and mechanics to keep their rigs in working order and their wheels moving.”

    Trucking industry: Come on people we can do better, only the drivers and truck technicians want nothing to do with our crappy
    jobs and pay. We must piss every one involved in trucking off,
    its our mandate.