Ohio lawmakers have proposed a package of bills to stimulate trucking industry

Need a job? The trucking industry says there’s been a driver shortage for two decades – and that there could be 175,000 unfilled trucker jobs in the next seven years. A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers have proposed a package of bills that seeks to stimulate job growth in the trucking industry. One bill would create a $5 million scholarship fund for students to attend trucking schools. Another would streamline the conversion from military to commercial drivers licenses. A third would change insurance rules to allow more 18-24 year olds to become drivers. And the fourth would start a $3 million tax credit program for job training at trucking companies. Republican Sen. Cliff Hite of Findlay is among the sponsors.