The backbone of our economy drives long hauls everyday to keep this country moving.  I am speaking of truckers, of course.  If not for the continuous stream of huge truck after truck of building supplies, groceries, automobiles, and practically every thing else - it would be way harder (and way more expensive) to get the things we need for everyday life.  According to kplctv.com a shortage in big truck drivers means we may get a very pricey lesson in supply and demand in the near future.

According to the American Trucker Association, a shortage of 106,000 big truck operators is expected by the year 2022 (just 4 years away).  That means a much longer delivery times and much higher prices for goods that are delivered by truck.  Obviously this means a higher bill at the grocery store and beyond, but it could dhave larger ramifications.  Stores will have to pay more for their goods, while that will certainly mean higher prices - it could also mean that retail stores might have to cut costs.  If no other sacrifices can be made, jobs could be on the line.

Industry experts claim that close to a million new drivers need to be trained and hired to keep up with the demand over the next decade.  One major hurdle to solving this issue is the fact that although potential drivers can graduate from a program designed to teach them everything they need to know to hit the open road at 18 or 19 years old, they must wait until they are 21 to receive a Commercial Driver's License (CDL).  In this amount of time, many potential drivers find other lines of work.

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