The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier safety Administration (FMCSA) did their best to drive home the importance of luring more drivers into the trucking industry.
With companies across the country reporting a shortage of drivers, and the need to hire many more over the next several years to keep the industry moving, the DOT streamlined processes and rolled out new programs designed to bolster the number of available truck driver candidates. The DOT and FMCSA stayed heavily involved in the industry in other ways, too, including appointing a new advisory committee on human trafficking as required by the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act.
Stories on the DOT and truck drivers were among the most-visited in 2018 by Bulk Transporter readers. Here are a few of them:
USDOT pilot program allowing 18-20-year-old military veterans to drive trucks in interstate commerce
FMCSA streamlines process for diabetic drivers to operate commercial vehicles
DOT Secretary Chao appoints advisory committee on human trafficking