Huge shortage of truck drivers has companies scrambling.
As many older drivers retire, schools are trying to get new drivers educated and on the road.
Larry Trawicki drove buses for OPS, but he wanted a change. A new license on life if you will.
"I got a class B, but I want a class A. Not for over the road trucking but local,” he said.
Metro Community College is changing up their CDL driving program from 9 to 6 weeks long, shifting to help in filling a regional driver shortage.
The American Trucking Association expects to be short 48 thousand drivers.
But with that demand, comes cash.
The average truck driver starting out makes about 40 grand a year, or 20 bucks an hour when you work it out.
They get paid by the mileage they drive.
The classes consist of a little bit of classroom, but mostly getting behind the wheel, in a cab with a tractor trailer, parking, moving, and hauling gear.
Students focus on things like how to handle logs and read maps. Because, as partner tells us, truck drivers can't rely on GPS because it may take them through an underpass their load doesn't clear.
As for these students they're keep trucking along in class.
"Truckers against trafficking, the truckers over the road look out for like people kidnapped like sex trafficking and all that," Trawicki said.
Something else they do to give back, happens in the simulator
They work with spinal cord injury patients.
The new shorter classes start next month.
