OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Years in the trucking industry have taught Ken Walker, president of Custom Diesel Drivers Training, that reaching the destination is everything. So when he realized his students were having trouble getting to his truck driving school in Gretna, he knew it was time to change something.
"Gretna was an amazing community to us," he said. "But, what we noticed was our customers and clients, it was hard for them to get out to us."
Walker said most of the students were coming from the downtown, north and south Omaha areas and Council Bluffs.
So, he moved his business. He's partnered with the Goodwill Training Center to make it easier for more people to get to class.
"We have seen a 65% increase of foot traffic just coming to class because we moved from the Gretna location to the Omaha location," said Walker.
And getting more people CDL certified and behind the wheel is important.
According to the latest research from the American Journal of Transportation, more than 80,000 drivers were needed to make up the truck driver shortage last year.
Christian Archie hopes to become one of those needed drivers.
"I know there's a shortage, and I wanted to help out," said Archie. "There's a couple people in my family that drive trucks, and it just seemed more suited to drive trucks with them as well."
Walker and others reaching the destination by changing the destination.
"If you keep producing one driver at a time, eventually, the trucks start moving," said Walker.
Archie said he’s excited to get on the road as a trucker as soon as possible.
