The Next Generation of Truckers Could Be Sitting in High School Right Now

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

For years, the trucking industry has talked about the same problem: Where are the next generation of drivers going to come from?

One California high school is taking a very different approach.

Instead of waiting for young people to discover trucking after graduation, Patterson High School in California is putting trucking, logistics and supply-chain education directly into the classroom.

And here's the question that makes this story bigger than one school:

Could high schools become one of trucking's most important driver pipelines?

This isn't just a shop class with a truck parked outside

Patterson High School's Supply Chain and Logistics pathway gives students hands-on experience in areas including inventory management, warehouse operations, workplace safety, forklift operation and commercial trucking. Students can also complete coursework designed to meet federal entry-level commercial driver training requirements and prepare for a California commercial learner's permit.

And the program doesn't stop at talking about trucks.

Students work in a functioning warehouse at the school, use simulators and learn practical skills connected to the transportation industry. The district says the program is provided at no cost to students, with materials and tools supplied.

That's a pretty different introduction to trucking than simply telling a teenager:

“Hey kid, you want to drive a truck?”

Enter the veteran trucker turned teacher

A big part of the program's success has been its connection to someone who actually knows trucking from the inside.

Dave Dein has spent more than three decades in the trucking industry as a driver, manager and industry educator. He became the truck-driving coordinator and instructor at Patterson High School and helped build the school's CDL program.

His experience matters because students aren't just getting a textbook version of trucking.

They're getting somebody who can explain what the job actually looks like.

The good.

The bad.

The long days.

The responsibility.

The technology.

And, hopefully, the parts nobody puts on the recruiting brochure.

And Patterson isn't keeping the idea to itself

Here's where this story gets really interesting.

The Next Generation in Trucking Association has been working to help other schools build similar programs.

In June 2026, Patterson High School hosted a Train the Trainer event designed for educators and administrators interested in creating or strengthening high-school trucking and logistics programs. Participants could learn about curriculum, industry partnerships, simulator integration and CDL instruction.

That means Patterson isn't necessarily the destination.

It could be the blueprint.

Could high schools actually help solve trucking's workforce problem?

Maybe.

But let's pump the brakes before declaring victory.

A high-school trucking program isn't going to magically solve every driver-recruiting problem in America.

There are age requirements, licensing requirements and plenty of young people who simply aren't interested in driving a truck.

And that's okay.

The bigger opportunity may be exposure.

A teenager who has never been around trucking may think the industry consists of driving a giant truck down the interstate.

But supply chains are much bigger than that.

There are drivers.

Dispatchers.

Fleet managers.

Diesel technicians.

Warehouse workers.

Safety professionals.

Logistics planners.

Equipment operators.

Technology specialists.

And business owners.

Patterson's program exposes students to that larger ecosystem. The district's pathway combines supply-chain management, logistics and distribution, forklift safety and commercial trucking.

So even if every student doesn't become a truck driver, the program can still introduce young people to an entire industry.

Here's the part truckers should appreciate

There's a perception problem in trucking.

Some young people hear the word “trucker” and immediately think:

Low pay. Long hours. No home time.

And let's be honest—some of those concerns aren't imaginary.

The industry has plenty of things it needs to fix.

But there's another side that doesn't always get enough attention.

Trucking can offer a career path without requiring a traditional four-year college degree.

It can provide opportunities to learn a trade, operate sophisticated equipment, travel, start a business and eventually move into management or ownership.

The key is making sure young people get the whole picture.

Not a recruiting pitch.

Not a doom-and-gloom speech.

The truth.

And that's where a veteran driver in the classroom can make a difference

You can tell a teenager what trucking is like.

Or you can let someone who actually lived it explain it.

That's a powerful distinction.

A veteran driver can answer questions that a career website can't:

What's it really like being away from home?

How difficult is backing a trailer?

What happens when something breaks 1,000 miles from home?

How do you deal with traffic, weather and pressure?

What does a good trucking company look like?

How do you avoid getting burned early in your career?

Those conversations can help students make better decisions—whether they ultimately choose trucking or decide it's not for them.

And that's actually a success.

What about the driver shortage?

Here's the unpopular viewpoint:

Maybe trucking shouldn't be trying to convince every young person to become a driver.

Maybe the industry should be trying to make sure that young people who want a career in transportation actually know how to get started.

That's a much healthier pipeline.

Give students exposure.

Give them real training.

Let them see the equipment.

Let them talk to professional drivers.

Show them the technology.

Explain the lifestyle.

Then let them decide.

That's considerably better than recruiting somebody who has no idea what they're signing up for and discovering six months later that they're miserable.

The industry needs more than drivers

This may ultimately be the biggest lesson from Patterson.

The future of trucking isn't just about finding somebody willing to hold a steering wheel.

It's about building an entire workforce.

The industry is becoming more technologically advanced, more data-driven and more connected to supply-chain operations.

That means tomorrow's trucking workforce could look very different from yesterday's.

And introducing students to those opportunities while they're still in school could give them a head start.

The Next Generation in Trucking Association's current mission reflects that broader approach: exposing students to careers ranging from driving to logistics and diesel technology while helping educators build transportation programs.

The bottom line

Patterson High School is showing that trucking education doesn't necessarily have to begin after graduation.

It can begin in high school.

Students can learn about logistics, supply chains, safety, equipment and commercial driving before they ever walk into a traditional truck-driving school.

And if other schools follow Patterson's model, the trucking industry could eventually have something it desperately needs:

A generation of young people who actually understand what trucking is before they decide whether they want to make it a career.

That's not a magic solution to every workforce problem.

But it might be a pretty smart place to start.

Because instead of asking:

“Where are all the drivers?”

Maybe the better question is:

“Why aren't we introducing more young people to trucking sooner?”

And Patterson High School appears to have an answer.

What do you think? Should more high schools offer trucking and logistics programs—or should teenagers be focused on college and other career paths first?

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And if you're thinking about what comes after trucking, go to RetireFromTrucking.com or check the description for resources.