One segment of the job market has been trucking along, making it easier for veterans, reservists and National Guardsmen to land a civilian career.
The transportation industry, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, employed more than 700,000 veterans in 2020.
Several companies also offer incentives to the military community. Below is a list of trucking/transportation companies that are service-member friendly:
1. Holland Freight caters to individuals from the military, affording opportunities to veterans, reservists and members of the National Guard. Holland offers programs that develop and support career growth and upward mobility and help prospective drivers earn their commercial driver’s license (CDL). The company also partners with Crosswalks and FastPort.com “to support and hire U.S. military heroes,” Holland’s webpage stated.
2. Penske states that veterans accounted for nearly 9% of its new hires in the past year. The mammoth transportation company has programs to help service members transition from the military into their workforce, including the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program. The program furnishes transitioning service members with expert training and real-time experience in the civilian workforce. Penske’s driver apprenticeship program provides first-time licensed truck drivers with progressive training and one-on-one mentorship.
3. Roehl Transport offers a two-year apprenticeship program for new drivers that allow service members to earn money and utilize GI Bill benefits. Furthermore, Roehl helps veterans possessing military truck driving experience with the Military Skills Waiver process.
4. Schneider National actively recruits veterans and has implemented a program allowing veterans to apply military service to their company seniority status. Schneider also accommodates reservists through programs that help offset the challenges of drill and activation obligations. Additionally, its driver-apprenticeships supply on-the-job training under the GI Bill program, and veterans can potentially earn a monthly stipend while training, according to Schneider. A brief military pre-qualification profile can be completed on Schneider’s website to determine eligibility benefits. For more information, call 866-838-7235 to speak to a Schneider military recruiter.
5. J.B. Hunt said that in 2019 the company reached its goal of hiring 10,000 veterans, reporting that approximately one in seven J.B. Hunt employees are veterans. The company indicates that driving jobs are available to those with three months or more CDL-A experience. Class A allows drivers to operate a vehicle that tows a trailer in excess of 10,000 pounds.
6. The veteran-friendly CRST Trucking provides a $500 sign-on bonus for veterans and pays credit for military time served while offering a military apprenticeship trucking program. CRST claims its veterans’ pay package is one of the best in the industry.
7. Averitt is committed to hiring service members, recruiting them before completing their duties. The company places newbies with driving experience through a paid one- to five-week refresher course. Prospective employees eligible for GI Bill benefits can earn up to $1,140 per month tax-free in addition to a weekly Averitt paycheck. Averitt requires a valid CDL-A and graduation from an approved truck driving school in the past six months or tractor-trailer experience within the past 10 years.
8. Refrigeration carrier C.R. England — on a mission to increase its veteran-truckers workforce — offers a tuition-free training program for military service members and provides veteran career counseling. “This program help vets like you choose which routes and schedules work best for you and your family,” the company website states.
9. Des Moines-based TMC states its flatbed trucking fleet is more than 36% veterans. TMC has a GI Bill-approved apprenticeship program and offers opportunities through the Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 benefits. Eligible veterans can potentially earn $1,398 per month for up to two years along with their TMC paycheck.