NextGen Trucking opens Career Catalyst applications

The Next Generation in Trucking Association now is accepting applications for the second annual Career Catalyst Awards, which recognize companies across the trucking industry that are creating meaningful career pathways for new workers.

Following an inaugural year in 2025 that honored 16 trucking fleets for their leadership in workforce development, the 2026 Career Catalyst Awards expand eligibility to recognize both trucking employers and industry partners who are helping young people enter careers across trucking, including diesel technology, logistics, and the broader supply chain, the association reported.

“The future of trucking depends on companies willing to engage early and create clear pathways for long-term careers,” Lindsey Trent, NextGen Trucking president and co-Founder, said in a news release. “The Career Catalyst Awards recognize organizations that are building real solutions—investing in students, developing talent, and strengthening the connection between education and industry.”

The Career Catalyst Awards celebrate organizations actively investing in early talent development and long-term workforce sustainability. This includes early-career hiring, structured training initiatives, mentorship programs, internships, apprenticeships, and innovative retention strategies, along with meaningful engagement with schools and training programs through activities such as advisory board participation, classroom speaking, student tours, CTSO involvement, and other work-based learning experiences that introduce students to careers in trucking.

“Our industry is navigating a structural shift in driver supply with older drivers retiring, fewer new hires entering, and competition for qualified drivers increasing,” said Leah Shaver, National Transportation Institute president and CEO. “We know that the average age of a new entrant driver is nearly 40 years old, and the average driver age is in the mid-50s. Our industry’s future depends on how well we connect today’s students to tomorrow’s careers.

“Companies that invest in early engagement, training, and long-term career development are strengthening their own hiring pipelines while also stabilizing the entire trucking industry. The Career Catalyst Awards shine a spotlight on those leaders, and NTI is proud to continue supporting this important initiative.”

The 2026 Career Catalyst Award categories are:

• Industry Employer: Recognizes for-hire carriers and private fleets creating entry-level opportunities, structured training programs, education partnerships, work-based learning experiences, and long-term career advancement pathways for individuals entering trucking careers.
• Industry Partner: Recognizes dealerships, technology providers, insurance organizations, service companies, associations, and allied industry partners that are creating career pathways into trucking through hiring, internships, apprenticeships, training initiatives, and active collaboration with education and workforce development partners.

Both categories highlight organizations that are strengthening the trucking workforce pipeline by engaging students early and supporting their transition into sustainable careers.

The application deadline is April 22.

The 2026 Career Catalyst Awards are sponsored by Engine, an all-in-one travel platform designed for small and medium businesses, and NTI, a provider of data and analysis on driver pay, benefits, and labor trends in the trucking industry.

“NTI is proud to support an award that recognizes fleets for creating real pathways into trucking and opening doors for all workers, especially the next generation,” Shaver concluded. “It’s incredibly encouraging to see what the fleets recognized through the Career Catalyst Awards are doing to build the workforce of tomorrow and create a stronger, more sustainable industry.”