TENNESSEE-based US Xpress Enterprises plans to offer a college scholarship programme for its truck drivers and dependents in a bid to attract and retain millennials - a demographic that does not typically regard trucking as a viable job option.
The move comes as the worsening truck driver shortage in the US has led to higher prices for agricultural produce.
The shortage of truck drivers has intensified amid a fired-up economy with ample job opportunities that do not involve being on the road for hours or days, and a new federal regulation that prevents drivers from fudging their hours.
Said US Xpress CEO Eric Fuller: 'Unfortunately we have demographics and competition working against us. Trucking is a tough job and convincing people to enter trucking as a career is becoming harder and harder.'
While raising driver salaries may appear to be the most obvious solution, Mr Fuller noted that a scholarship programme, like the one US Xpress is offering, also addresses the issue of retaining employees. US Xpress employed 6,900 drivers as of March 31.
The programme would allow a driver and a dependent child, or two dependent children to earn their bachelor's or master's degrees from Ashford University, which offers online courses.
The move comes as the worsening truck driver shortage in the US has led to higher prices for agricultural produce.
The shortage of truck drivers has intensified amid a fired-up economy with ample job opportunities that do not involve being on the road for hours or days, and a new federal regulation that prevents drivers from fudging their hours.
Said US Xpress CEO Eric Fuller: 'Unfortunately we have demographics and competition working against us. Trucking is a tough job and convincing people to enter trucking as a career is becoming harder and harder.'
While raising driver salaries may appear to be the most obvious solution, Mr Fuller noted that a scholarship programme, like the one US Xpress is offering, also addresses the issue of retaining employees. US Xpress employed 6,900 drivers as of March 31.
The programme would allow a driver and a dependent child, or two dependent children to earn their bachelor's or master's degrees from Ashford University, which offers online courses.