U.S. Reps. Don Young (R-AK), Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Angie Craig (D-MN) introduced legislation on Wednesday that would promote career opportunities in the transportation industry.
Called the Promoting Service in Transportation Act, the legislation would authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop a media campaign to promote job opportunities in the transportation industry while improving the diversity in the transportation industry workforce.
“When it comes to transportation, Alaska’s unique geography can present many challenges that require a first-rate transportation workforce to overcome,” Young, a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said. “Our aviation industry is essential to Alaska’s economic health, and we must continue to be able to meet the demands of this critical sector. The Promoting Service in Transportation Act is an important piece of legislation that helps ensure that Alaska can continue to hire and retain top-notch pilots, truckers, and other transit workers to support an industry that we all depend on. Bolstering our aviation workforce is especially vital as we work to bring back jobs and economic activity lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
As the need for professional transportation industry workers – from airline pilots to air traffic controllers, railroad workers, and truck drivers – increases, stakeholders in the industry say they face increased competition for job candidates. In the aviation industry alone, over the next decade, the industry will need more than 800,000 pilots, 769,000 technicians, and nearly 20,000 air traffic controllers. The trucking industry needs between 60,000 and 100,000 more drivers each year.
“In Washington state and across the country, transportation means jobs and is key to economic recovery,” Larsen, a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee, said. “As demand continues to grow, it is important all Americans are aware of the career opportunities available in the transportation sector to grow the next generation workforce and keep the economy and people moving.”
The bill is supported by the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Helicopter Association International (HAI), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the National Association of Truckstop Operators (NATSO), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).