Freight industry forecast as in-demand Northwest Indiana Region job in next decade

It will be the third-most in-demand occupation in the Region with more than 2,500 openings expected in the next 10 years, according to the Hoosier Hot Jobs list developed for the Region by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

"Of course goods and services have to move," said Karen Orosz, school director at Driveco CDL Learning Center, in Gary. "The economy is getting better and retirement is affecting truck drivers just like other fields."

Driveco CDL is one of a number of truck driving schools established in the Region, providing just one example of the many businesses spawned by the numerous truck depots here. Other businesses supporting trucking include the numerous truck stops along the Borman Expressway including Pilot Travel Center, Flying J and Travel Centers of America.

Some of the largest trucking company operating centers, where drivers are assigned, board rigs and take off for locations across the United States are located in Gary. Those include Swift Transportation, 6500 Airport Road; Con-Way/XPO, 201 Blaine St.; and Schneider, 7101 17th Ave.

In addition to drivers, trucking operating centers employ people in finance, security, customer service, mechanics, and other fields according to Holly Wallace, a spokesperson for Schneider.

Schneider currently has a great need for regional tanker and intermodal drivers for local runs in and around Gary, she said.  Demand is so great, some driver jobs include sign-on bonuses of up to $10,000.

Northwest Indiana is well-positioned to benefit from projections that U.S. freight tonnage is expected to double by 2035, according to Conexus Indiana, an organization created by the state to leverage its position at the Crossroads of America.

The area's assets in this field include numerous trucking depots, four U.S. interstate highways and about one dozen major U.S. routes, according to Conexus.