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V O L . X X I V N O. X X V O C T O B E R 2 9 , 2 0 1 8 16 Pottle says his Bangor warehouse is designed for driver comfort, including a nice waiting area, his and her bath- rooms, refrigerator with water and soda and microwave. "ey're not treated like second- class people," Pottle says. "We want those drivers to come back." Castonguay says Hartt's customers generally treat drivers "like gold." But if a driver has a negative experience, "We'll be in that customer's office and say, 'Get your act straight or we're not hauling for you." Offering a range of pay Vicki Kimball, a commercial truck driving instructor at Tri-County Technical Center in Dexter, says the shortage of drivers is driving up pay rates. Graduates of the program start at $13 or $14 per hour and quickly move to $20 or more, depending on the job. She cites one student mak- ing $36,000 plus benefits within six months of graduating. "I think companies are realizing that getting and keeping a good driver they're going to have to pay for them," she says. "Truck-driving jobs now range from $45,000 to over $100,000 per year, depending on which company and your level of experience," says Castonguay. "e same with technicians. ey can start at $45,000 and, with experience and time, be in the upper 80s or lower 90s, plus lots of benefits, like match- ing company contributions for 401(k) plans, affordable health care and paid vacations." Parke says many are attracted to the profession's freedom: "ey don't want a boss looking over their shoulder." On the other hand, notes Castonguay, "freedom" can be stressful on families. Many drivers look for short-haul jobs so they can get home at night. Either way, he says, "If you're a truck driver, you're always going to have a job and you're going to get excellent pay and benefits." ยป C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Commercial site preparation Heavy highway and utility work Pavement production, installation and sales CROOKER' S YELLOW TRUCK S ARE READY TO ROLL! Serving contractors, municipalities, and private enterprises statewide 207-729-3331 www.Crooker.com T R A N S P O R TAT I O N / I N F R A S T R U C T U R E F O C U S TRUCKING TRENDS S O U R C E : Maine Motor Transport Association 84.4% 95% Communities dependent on trucks to move goods Manufactured tonnage transported by trucks (2012) 70.2% Domestic freight tonnage moved by trucks 79.3% Trucking's portion of the nation's freight bill 31,180 $40,130 Average annual salary (2016) 82,638 Tons per day transported by trucks (2012) $700.1 billion Trucking-generated revenue In Maine: National: Truck industry jobs (2016) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers Trucking companies (2017) 8,410 5,830