Dive Brief:
- The American Trucking Associations urged a Congressional subcommittee on Dec. 2 to expand programs that support veterans’ transition into trucking careers.
- Testifying on behalf of the ATA before the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Greg Hamm, VP of field and government recruiting at Werner Enterprises, recommended more funds for CDL instruction and legislation to simplify job searches in the supply chain field for veterans and their spouses.
- “Veterans bring the values that make workplaces—and supply chains—stronger,” Hamm said in an ATA press release. “Hiring them is not charity; it is smart business.”
Dive Insight:
Hamm, an Army veteran, pointed to Werner’s initiatives to hire veterans. About 20% of the carrier’s 13,000 employees have a connection to the military today. The company seeks to raise that workforce to 25%.
“Veterans entering Werner can pursue careers ranging from professional driving and maintenance to safety roles, operations, and logistics management,” he said. Werner also provides extended educational support, tuition assistance and military community resource groups to help veterans and their spouses succeed.
Hamm’s testimony spotlights trucking’s long-running problem with driver recruitment and retention. In addition to that, carriers are navigating recent changes in English proficiency enforcement, non-domiciled CDL rules and a shrinking qualified driver pool.
Besides more funding for CDL instruction, Hamm also recommended passage of the Warriors to Workforce Act to ease housing burdens for veterans enrolled in job-training programs. Additionally, he urged lawmakers to approve the Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act to streamline the Department of Veterans Affairs oversight of apprenticeship programs.
The Veterans Benefits Administration estimates that about 200,000 service members transition to civilian life annually. Hamm said many of these people have the discipline, technical expertise and leadership qualities that translate well into transportation careers.
He mentioned Werner employee Eric Macedo, an Army sergeant who served as a mechanic. Macedo utilized his GI Bill benefits to earn a CDL through Werner’s apprentice program and now serves as a road team captain and mentor.
The carrier was recently recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative for its focus on hiring veterans.
“Together, policymakers and employers can open more doors for the men and women who have served,” Hamm said.
