DO YOU LIKE TRUCKS?

Nicholas King, a junior at Elkmont, works under the hood of a diesel pickup truck in April at the Limestone County Career Technical Center.

The Athens Courier has an article today about the need for more people in the trucking industry.  One of Elkmont's young men, Nicholas King, is in the featured photo. Link to full article: ROAD WARRIORS

HIGHLIGHTS:
There are plenty of jobs available for drivers, it can be difficult for companies to take a chance on young drivers. The state won't grant a commercial driver's license to anyone under age 21 and he explained many companies wouldn't hire drivers under the age of 23.

There are more than a dozen truck driving schools in the state, including one at Calhoun Community College. The school offers a weekend course for those wanting to obtain their CDL. As part of the course, students alternate between classroom and driving in this course while learning about proper shifting techniques, CDL safety, map reading, inspections and federal and state requirements.

At the end of the training, students are administered a road test which must be passed in order to obtain a Class A or B license. Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a certificate.
“The U.S. is experiencing a shortage of truck drivers, which is an opportunity for Calhoun to continue to train and distribute skilled drivers in to the workforce,” said Mary Smith, CDL instructor.