Trucks roll down the Natcher Parkway.

Transportation is driving the latest career-training program planned at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College.

The region needs more drivers.

A look at the available jobs report put out by the JobsEQ labor market research firm shows that over-the-road truck drivers are in great demand locally. Now SKYCTC wants to meet that demand.

Dr. James McCaslin, SKYCTC vice president of outreach and community development, announced plans Tuesday morning to start a Commercial Drivers License training program at the technical college’s Franklin campus.

McCaslin said he has already advertised for a full-time CDL instructor and will also hire two part-time instructors to run the program, which he expects to launch in the spring. He also has plans to utilize property on the SKYCTC Franklin campus as a training area.

“It will be a four-week program,” McCaslin said. “Students will complete the written test and then do on-the-road training. At the end of the four weeks, they will take the road test. Our role is to make sure they’re prepared for that test.”

The training program will cost $4,000, but McCaslin said some students will qualify for up to $3,000 in reimbursements through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

“These are high-demand, high-wage positions,” he said.

Howard Brown Jr., manager of the UPS Service Center in Bowling Green, confirms that drivers are hard to find these days.

“I’ve been trying to hire a driver for the last five months and can’t find anyone,” said Brown. “I’m hoping that school program will help. There’s a big need all across UPS. There’s a driver shortage.”

A report by Driver Solutions, a national CDL training company, estimates the driver shortage to be around 100,000 nationally.

Brown said many people don’t like the truck-driving lifestyle, but he said it’s a great career for those who do. Beginning truck drivers can earn $50,000 per year, and experienced drivers can make close to $100,000, he said.

Such statistics, along with figures from JobsEQ, prompted South Central Workforce Development Board Executive Director Robert Boone to look into CDL training locally.

The JobsEQ report shows the 10-county region with more than 6,000 job openings currently. The report breaks down those job openings into categories, and Boone said finding truck drivers is consistently among the greatest needs.

“It (CDL driver) is usually in the top three spots for job openings,” Boone said. “Right now there are 500 to 600 jobs requiring a CDL. I took that information to Dr. (Phillip) Neal and Dr. McCaslin at SKYCTC. They had been thinking about it, but I picked up the conversation. They got it together quickly.”

Neal, SKYCTC president, said the CDL program fits with the college’s goal of providing training that meets demand.

“Transportation is one of the most highly sought-after job sectors,” Neal said. “It’s the backbone of many industries. They need the ability to transport products in and out.”

Having CDL training in Franklin makes sense for another reason, Neal pointed out.

“Franklin is one of only two places in the western part of the state where you can take the road test,” he said. “It makes sense to have the training here.”

McCaslin said he is working with some local trucking companies to get trucks donated for the program.

Boone said the CDL training program fits well with his goals for the Workforce Development Board.

“Transportation and logistics is one of our growth sectors,” Boone said, “so this fits well with our strategic planning.”