OTTUMWA — Citing a growing shortage of truck drivers, U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn announced Monday he will invest $1 million in new heavy-duty truck cabs to train students at Indian Hills Community College.
Surrounded by university President Matt Thompson and other university officials, Nunn said the truck will become part of the university’s Truck Driver Education Center on North Campus.
The findings were included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which was passed in a bipartisan manner by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden on March 9.
“This will create more truck drivers, not just in Iowa, but across the country,” Nunn said. “The supply chain shortages are real, and we’ve seen a spike in inflation, and part of that is due to the supply chain.”
“But this not only addresses shortages and backlogs in the supply chain, it also improves the quality of life for the people who ride in our taxis because it improves the quality of their jobs.”
Thompson said the truck driver program was a long-standing investment since he enrolled at the university 11 years ago. That investment was moved to top priority when the pandemic hit.
“Looking back at 2020, we’ve realized how important truck drivers are. They are essential workers, just like health care workers, because their work helps save families,” he said.
He said he wasn’t concerned that automation, which has affected many professions, would have a specific impact on truck driving.
“There was an idea that trucks would be automated one day, but you’re not going to have an 18-wheeler on the highway that’s fully automated without the driver’s assistance,” he said. “But until that happens, what we teach at the university is a focus on safety. We see that need continuing for many years to come.”
About a decade ago, the university took action, installing gravel parking lots on campus for trucks, but “gravel is hard on tires,” Thompson said. He said the university is looking for funding sources to improve the parking lots.
“It was difficult to do because it required a large investment, but we also had to secure funding for 70 other programs,” he said. “Since 2020, we have invested in a second program for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), which will launch in the fall in Centerville. We have invested in simulation equipment that is now here, and we have a mobile simulation lab in Centerville.”
“We are always looking for ways to prioritize programs that make a difference in the lives of others, and we know that developing safe, quality drivers certainly makes a big difference.”
Nunn believed this investment would have an impact on the entire community.
“You can grow in Indian Hills, but the impact is felt primarily by the business community and people looking for employment,” he said. “People looking for a second career, or a third career, or a post-retirement career, there’s an opportunity for that.”
Following his stop in Ottumwa, Nunn traveled to Centreville to announce a $4.8 million investment in a new rail spur project, also secured through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.
The funding will help Appanoose County Community Railroad build a spur line that will add six miles of track and allow 100-car trains to stop and load within two economic development projects in the county, according to a press release.
