Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE)

PROJECT PURPOSE

Last year, due to COVID, U.S. trucking companies suffered a record deficit of 80,000 drivers (American Trucking Associations). Trucks move 72 percent of American freight?a lack of drivers spells substantial disruption that is felt on all fronts (New York Times, Feb 9, 2022). On March 8, 2022, Indeed.com showed 9,626 truck driver job openings in Oklahoma with salaries as high as $100,000. To address this shortage that impacts every Oklahoman, ODCTE will serve as the fiscal agent with the following technology centers providing truck driver training programs. ? Caddo Kiowa ? Kiamichi Technology ? Northeast Technology ? Tulsa Technology Center While not a participant in the grant, Central Technology Center serves the middle of the state and currently has a lengthy waiting list. With five fully equipped technology centers providing training, Oklahoma can significantly increase the industry with Commercial Driver?s Licensed individuals making high wages and improve the transportation crisis. With a budget request of $6,681,806, the state can double their investment within the first year (see calculations in Section I and J of the attachment). Funds would be used to purchase training simulators, trucks and trailers, a classroom on a driving range, and other significant training materials

EVIDENCE

Entry Level Driver Training regulations set the minimum Federal requirements that drivers must complete before being permitted to take certain commercial driver?s license skills or knowledge tests including: ? Obtain a Class A CDL (any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) greater than 26,000 pounds) ? Class B CDL for the first time (A CDL-B allows a driver to operate any straight vehicle with a GVWR greater than 26,000 pounds. ? Upgrade an existing Class B CDL to a Class A CDL; ? Obtain a school bus (S), passenger (P), or hazardous materials (H) endorsement for the first time.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Vulnerable populations for this grant are categorized as a) percentage of individuals under 65 without insurance, b) percentage living in poverty, c) individuals without a high school diploma, and d) American Indians. Evidence shows that those who live in poverty demonstrate a higher need for emergency and medical services. They also represent a high percent of the population without insurance. A comparison of household incomes less than $34,999 to those at $35,000 ? 74,999 showed that those in the lower income experienced more COVID-related stressors such as food insecurity, not making house payments, no paid work, and depression symptoms (Human Rights Watch Analysis: US Census Bureau). The census shows that Oklahoma has 369,237 individuals 18 and older without a high school diploma?within the technology center district, the number is 76,509. Their median earnings are $500 per week with an unemployment rate of 6.5%. Oklahoma has one of the highest percentages of American Indians. This group has experienced higher rates of COVID infection and mortality compared with the non-Hispanic White population (1?5) and greater excess mortality (percentage increase in number of persons who have died relative to the expected number of deaths for a given place and time) (CDC.gov).

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

ODCTE measures training performance for adults using three categories: a. Number of classes offered b. Number of students trained c. Total training hours Each technology center collects the information and submits a record of the above data into the CareerTech Information Management System (CTIMS) on a quarterly basis. Interactive data is available on the CTIMS website by technology center and programs. Projected Training Metrics Classes Offered year one 1,032; year five 5,160 Students Trained: year one 5,156; year five 25,780 Hours Taught: year one 52,796; year five 263,980

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma