美国国家公共电台 NPR--The driver of the big rig one lane over might soon be one of these teenagers

The driver of the big rig one lane over might soon be one of these teenagers

Transcript¹

On the grounds of Williamsport High School in western Maryland, three 17-year-olds pile into the cab of a white Volvo truck, pens and pads in hand.

They record the odometer, check for warning lights, honk² the horn and test the brakes. It's all part of what's called a pre-trip inspection³.

In the real world, the process takes about 10 minutes, but today the students move slowly and methodically, under the watchful⁴ eye of their instructor⁵ Eric Young.

"This is a $100,000 truck," Young says. "If you blow the engine because of negligence⁶, you're going to be looking for a new job."

This fall, for the first time, this introduction to trucking course is being offered at Williamsport High School as part of a nationwide push to steer⁷ young drivers toward an industry in dire⁸ need of workers.

Over the next decade, trucking industry says it will need to hire more than a million drivers

The American Trucking Association projects that trucking companies will need to hire nearly 1.2 million drivers over the next decade.

Part of that's because of a rapidly aging workforce⁹: the average age of long-haul truck drivers is 46, according to the group. And when lifting heavy pallets of goods comes as part of the job, the pool of drivers becomes even smaller.

Another reason is lifestyle. Many long-haul truckers say wages aren't high enough to make up for endless days on the road away from their families. Turnover¹⁰ in the industry is high.

One idea that's gaining traction¹¹: Getting young drivers into the industry earlier.

Traditionally, trucking has not been among the vocational programs offered at high schools, in part because of age restrictions¹² on interstate trucking. Federal law requires drivers of commercial vehicles to be at least 21 years old to cross state lines.

"That's where you make most of your money at," says Joshua Hewitt, a 17-year-old senior at Williamsport High School who's enrolled¹⁴ in the trucking class. "You can make money in state, but over state, going from West Coast to East Coast — that's where you make the most money."

But now, the federal government is piloting a three-year apprentice¹⁵ program that will allow 18-to-20-year-olds to drive commercial vehicles on interstate routes, opening up career opportunities for high school graduates that didn't exist before.

A growing number of high schools are looking to seize on that opportunity. At Williamsport High, the goal is to prepare students to sit for their commercial driver license¹⁶ permit tests when they turn 18. After that, they have one road skills course to take at the nearby community college before they can obtain their commercial licenses¹⁷.

"By August, they could be drawing a six-figure salary," says Young.

A teen's disinterest in school drove the creation of the trucking program

The idea for the trucking course at Williamsport High School originated with assistant principal Adam Parry.

A couple of years ago, Parry was talking with a group of sophomores¹⁸, including Tucker Bubacz, a personable farm kid who'd grown up around trucks and tractors.

"He wasn't doing well academically. So when that happens, you sit down and you have that discussion to figure out what's going on," says Parry.

The assistant principal saw an enthusiasm gap. Bubacz and his friends weren't motivated by school. They also weren't particularly excited about the vocational programs on offer, including construction and hospitality. But he had a hunch¹⁹ that trucking might be different.

Williamsport sits along two major interstates, just minutes away from West Virginia and Pennsylvania. A trucker friend had told Parry of the tremendous demand for drivers.

"From his viewpoint, there was going to be fifty-some thousand jobs just in this area alone in the next five to 10 years," says Parry.

So he ran the idea of a trucking class past Bubacz.

"Yeah, I want to drive a truck!" was the teenager's emphatic²⁰ response. He's now one of three students enrolled in the inaugural²¹ class.

Teenagers are not yet driving interstate routes

The Department of Transportation's Safe Driver Apprenticeship²³ Pilot Program was approved by Congress in 2021 as part of the bipartisan infrastructure²⁴ law. The program seeks to enroll¹³ several thousand apprentices²² over three years.

So far, it's off to a slow start.

To date, half a dozen trucking companies have been approved for the program.

Those companies must first enroll experienced drivers who will supervise the apprentices, before they can bring on the apprentice drivers themselves.

At DOT Foods, one of the participating companies, transportation director Dave Hess says he has no qualms²⁵ about putting 18-to-20-year-olds on interstate routes provided they demonstrate they're capable.

"We're not going to put anybody on the road who can't handle the equipment and be safe," says Hess. "You got immature²⁶ 45-year-old people. So it's really on the person, their skills, their understanding of the [Department of Transportation] laws."

When the apprenticeship program was first proposed, safety advocates. including the National Transportation Safety Board were quick to raise red flags. Teenage drivers can be easily distracted. They have higher crash rates. Research has found young drivers are more likely to underestimate dangers.

The perils²⁷ of the road is a topic of frequent discussion at Williamsport High.

"It's very dangerous going downhill sometimes," says Hewitt. "Your 80,000 pound vehicle — that could kill anybody."

Bubacz, who learned to drive a tractor as a young kid, is nervous about other drivers.

"You can be the best driver there is, but there's always some bad driver that could mess something up," he says.

A younger workforce may be well-suited for the industry

There are some upsides to having younger people behind the wheel.

Recent high school graduates typically have fewer family responsibilities. Their bodies have yet to endure the wear-and-tear of working life.

They could bring fresh energy to an aging workforce.

While Bubacz thinks he'll opt²⁸ for day trucking, Hewitt imagines a life for himself on the road.

"You can sleep wherever inside of your truck, as long as you're at a truck stop, or somewhere on the side of the road — whatever you want to look at at night," he says.

Their classmate Peter Vilas Novas sees trucking as a way to see the country.

"Just traveling and getting to see places while doing your job and making money," he says.

High on his list — California.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 honk   

n.雁叫声，汽车喇叭声

参考例句：

• Don't honk the horn indiscriminately.不要乱鸣喇叭！
• While passing another vehicle,you must honk your horn.通过另一部车时必须鸣按喇叭。

3 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

4 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

5 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

6 negligence   

n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意

参考例句：

• They charged him with negligence of duty.他们指责他玩忽职守。
• The traffic accident was allegedly due to negligence.这次车祸据说是由于疏忽造成的。

7 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

8 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

9 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

10 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

11 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

12 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

13 enroll   

v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol

参考例句：

• I should like to enroll all my children in the swimming class.我愿意让我的孩子们都参加游泳班。
• They enroll him as a member of the club.他们吸收他为俱乐部会员。

14 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 apprentice   

n.学徒，徒弟

参考例句：

• My son is an apprentice in a furniture maker's workshop.我的儿子在一家家具厂做学徒。
• The apprentice is not yet out of his time.这徒工还没有出徒。

16 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

17 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

18 sophomores   

n.（中等、专科学校或大学的）二年级学生( sophomore的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We are freshmen and they are sophomores. 我们是一年级学生，他们是二年级学生。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over half the students in the course are sophomores. 听这门课的一大半是二年级学生。 来自辞典例句

19 hunch   

n.预感，直觉

参考例句：

• I have a hunch that he didn't really want to go.我有这么一种感觉，他并不真正想去。
• I had a hunch that Susan and I would work well together.我有预感和苏珊共事会很融洽。

20 emphatic   

adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的

参考例句：

• Their reply was too emphatic for anyone to doubt them.他们的回答很坚决，不容有任何人怀疑。
• He was emphatic about the importance of being punctual.他强调严守时间的重要性。

21 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

22 apprentices   

学徒，徒弟( apprentice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were mere apprentices to piracy. 他们干海盗仅仅是嫩角儿。
• He has two good apprentices working with him. 他身边有两个好徒弟。

23 apprenticeship   

n.学徒身份；学徒期

参考例句：

• She was in the second year of her apprenticeship as a carpenter. 她当木工学徒已是第二年了。
• He served his apprenticeship with Bob. 他跟鲍勃当学徒。

24 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

25 qualms   

n.不安；内疚

参考例句：

• He felt no qualms about borrowing money from friends.他没有对于从朋友那里借钱感到不安。
• He has no qualms about lying.他撒谎毫不内疚。

26 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

27 perils   

极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境）

参考例句：

• The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
• With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难？

28 opt   

vi.选择，决定做某事

参考例句：

• They opt for more holiday instead of more pay.他们选择了延长假期而不是增加工资。
• Will individual schools be given the right to opt out of the local school authority?各个学校可能有权选择退出地方教育局吗？