91ÊÓƵ

March 28, 2000 9:35 AM, EST

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Trucking companies and driver training schools opened hailing frequencies with each other during a landmark March 17 meeting organized by two national driver training groups. A transmission came in loud and clear: Better cooperation is needed among the parties.

The meeting preceded the annual conference of the Truckload Carriers Association.

Executives from three carriers participated in a panel discussion organized by the Commercial Vehicle Training Association and the Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driver Schools. The two organizations, whose members combined train 35,000 students a year at nearly 170 locations, held their first-ever joint forum.

The meeting between corporate America and the groups provided opportunities to find common ground on the key issues of a shrinking pool of entry-level drivers and the declining level of people interested in careers in trucking. On the trucking side were the heads of C.R. England, Crete Carrier Corp. and Roberson Transportation Services. Their discussion was followed the next day by a session with a top executive of another leading truckload carrier, Werner Enterprises of Omaha.

For the full story, see the Mar. 27 print edition of Transport Topics. .