Capital Press Reading Activity

Another in the series of Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom non-fiction text examples to be used in your classroom. These will be available every Friday morning at 7 a.m. during the school year.

These questions are designed to use in conjunction with a selected article from the Capital Press. To obtain access to an e-edition of Capital Press FREE to educators and students visit http://capitalpress.or.newsmemory.com/nie.php/ For more information about this program and ways to use it in your classroom visit the program webpage. 

Article: Long Haul Shortage (Page 1)
Printable PDF 

Questions:

1. What is the challenge facing the trucking industry? Include at least one statistic provided in the article to illustrate the challenge. 
2. List at least two factors contributing to this challenge. 
3. How does this issue impact agriculture? 
4. The article sites that the average age of a new driver in training is 30, and the age requirement is 21. Do you think the age limit should be 18? Why or why not?
5. In your opinion, what could be done to help solve this challenge?

Answers: 

1. The trucking industry is facing a tremendous shortage of drivers. Possible statistics: There is an estimated shortage of 170,000 long-haul drivers in the next seven years. American Trucking Industry forecasted the shortage for 2018 at 60,000 drivers. The trucking industry will need 97,500 new drivers over the next decade, nearly 90,000 per year on average.
2. Factors contributing to this challenge include strict drive time rules, lifestyle demands, vast number of retirements, growing freight demand and recruitment challenges. 
3. Answers will vary. The article cites 71% of all freight is moved by trucks, agricultural products are a major portion of that freight including highly perishable products. A shortage of truckers will cause increased challenges for transporting agricultural products, likely increased prices for agricultural product transportation and possible shortages in stores. 
4. Answers will vary. 
5. Answers will vary. 

Archives of past editions are available here. 

We welcome feedback or ideas to make this program as effective as possible! Please direct your questions or suggestions about this program to Jessica Jansen, Executive Director Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom  jessica.jansen@oregonstate.edu.