The Trucking Action Plan Offers Help for Logistics and Distribution Industries

This article originally appeared on and was written for Palestine Economic Development, by Golden Shovel Agency.

Palestine, Texas, is a distribution hub located at the intersection of five major highways which conveniently lead to the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin regions. Location coupled with available properties and buildings for relocation and expansion in the Willow Creek Business Park is why logistics and distribution are target industries for the City.

A major component of distribution is the trucking industry, but it has been the source of bottlenecks in the supply chain as the economy ramps up after the slowdown caused by the pandemic. There are not enough drivers, a shortage that was experienced even before the pandemic because of challenges such as high turnover rates, an aging workforce, and long hours away from home.

Trucking Action Plan

In an effort to improve workforce needs in the industry, the Trucking Action Plan was launched in December 2021. The Trucking Action Plan is part of the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force that was launched in June 2021 to address supply chain bottlenecks created when the economy jumpstarted after the pandemic slowdown.

The following actions of the plan will lay the foundation for a next-generation trucking workforce and support numerous good jobs.

Expedite the Issuance of CDLs by Reducing Barriers

The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) are working to support state departments of motor vehicles by working hand-in-hand with them to address the challenges they are facing. FMCSA will provide over $30 million in funding to help states expedite commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). They will also send every state a toolkit detailing specific actions to take to expedite the process like expanding hours and locations as well as moving processes online.

Continue reading...

About the Author