Trucking industry looking for hires

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Mike Morris runs Morris Trucking in Terre Haute. He has open positions that offer $40,000 to $50,000, but he's having a tough time filling them.

In fact, trucking companies across the nation are running into the same thing. Morris said insurance policies are making hiring difficult for smaller trucking companies.

"They want people to be 23 years old. Then on top of that, they want them to have two years of experience," Morris said.

Morris said that people simply aren't meeting those requirements. The ones old enough and with experience are most likely all ready working, and the ones without it, or are too young, can't get in.

"It gets pretty difficult to tell a young person how, what they're going to do with five years of their life, while we're waiting and then where they're going to accumulate two years of experience in an industry that can't hire them," Morris said. He also said larger companies don't have insurance policies as tough, making it easier for them to hire.

Morris said he hopes legislation will make it easier for smaller companies like his to hire drivers.