For CDL trainers and some fleets, truck driving simulators are among the most innovative and realistic ways to teach new drivers.

In 2022, some in trucking hoped that a pilot to teach and monitor 18- to 20-year-olds in interstate commerce could help lessen the driver shortage. Now it’s not looking that way.

Many trucking companies offer mentorship programs for new drivers to help them navigate all the nuances of the trucking lifestyle that aren’t taught in a formal CDL training course.

“Part of the issue our industry is facing is that too many people decided to pursue trucking strictly for the money, and that lack of passion is having a negative effect on our image and reputation," says Dave Dein, CDL coordinator at Patterson High School in California.

A 20-acre truck driving center that is able to process 20,000 commercial driver license exams annually at a Texas community college is looking for out-of-state students and testing companies.

High demand for truckers in North Carolina is behind Guilford Technical Community College’s plans to open a $4.35 million driver training facility funded by state and federal grants.

A Michigan community college says the demand for more truck drivers and the popularity of its training program are the main reasons why the Trainco Inc.-sponsored course is expanding.

Iowa is helping some 1,600 people obtain their CDLs for driving trucks and school buses through in-house training or with third-party providers via $2.49 million in farm-based grants.

Truck driver training programs are in need of more resources and instructors to handle an influx of people interested in joining the industry.

FleetForce Truck Driving School announced plans to open two training facilities in Venice and Fort Myers along Florida’s Gulf Coast in an expansion of its collaborative pre-hire program announced in November.