A study is underway in Minnesota to better understand the shortage of commercial truck drivers. Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety are looking at how to address the challenges created by driver shortages and attrition.

The state agencies are required to undertake the task as established by a law passed last legislative session. The agencies expect to compile and present the study to the legislature in mid-February.

“When you look at just the role of what we need and why we need CDL drivers, they’re really important for our economy,” said Jody-Kay Peterson, the program director for driver services for DVS. “We are already feeling the impact of that [shortage], where things are taking a little longer to get certain items.”

She explained demand for drivers is increasing with more online ordering, whether it’s from a store or through the U.S. Postal Service.

At the same time, the industry is bracing for a wave of retirements. There is also a significant vacancy rate of more than 9,000 drivers in Minnesota, according to Peterson.

“We’ve realized there is a key stakeholder audience we haven’t figured out how to connect with and that is the people who have a CDL currently but aren’t working in that capacity,” said Laura Roads, the director of MnDOT’s commercial vehicle operations section. “It also includes people who have a CDL and chose to leave the commercial vehicle driver industry.”

The agencies began meeting monthly with stakeholders in July to discuss test access, driver compensation, training, and other challenges facing the industry.

There is demand for commercial driver’s licenses, according to Peterson.

“We do see that demand going up; that’s been a demand for a long time because you also have such a big turnover,” said Peterson. “With that demand comes more road tests.”

She said stakeholders have raised concerns about the wait time for a CDL test during the meetings, along with feedback that the appointment calendar needs to be extended beyond 30 days.

“We need more testing times and we just don’t have enough examiners,” said Peterson. This past legislative session, we were given 30 new examiners, and while those were specifically given to enhance the backlog for Class D license, it would still help to open up more appointments for CDLs.”

She added, “Another point that we hear is to open up for more third-party testers.

Mahad Mohamed, the director of Kings Trucking School, attended a meeting to express his concerns, which included the lengthy wait for tests.

“It’s a long wait, sometimes it can take a few months,” he said.

He traveled the country as a commercial driver before starting the trucking school. He and his co-founder have hundreds of drivers graduating every year.

“The interest is definitely there,” said Mohamed. “There’s plenty of opportunities out there.”

He’s encouraging the state to boost capacity at testing sites and also help connect qualified drivers with employers who are looking for workers.

He said in this market, drivers have the advantage.

“There’s a huge demand for CDL drivers,” he said. “A lot fo the incentives and benefits are going towards to benefit the drivers.”