Your Sept. 10 Pre-Trip: WY truck driver shortage to worsen

Here are five things worth knowing today:

1. Similar to many states across the country, Wyoming projects its truck driver shortage will worsen, even with future job growth in the transportation sector. According to a report in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, a recent federal study released from U.S. departments of transportation, labor and education projects the country will add 417,000 net transportation jobs from 2012 to 2022 due to industry growth. “And that’s not counting the many more jobs that will need to be filled as an aging workforce retires or leaves the industry,” according to the Tribune Eagle. Wyoming is expected to see trucking jobs grow by 24% during this time period, according to the report. And North Dakota is projected to see the greatest hike in trucking jobs in the country – 62%.
2. Missouri’s Department of Transportation has received money to fix some of the state’s deteriorating bridges, ABC 17 News reports. According to the report, more than 640 of the state’s bridges are in critical condition, and the DOT is expected to receive around $100 million to make much-needed repairs. That money, however, would only repair about 30 to 40 of the bridges, according to the report. ABC 17 has more.
3. The U.S. Army has ordered a supply of M997A3 HMMWV (high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle) ambulance chassis vehicles for its fleet, according to Army Technology.  According to the report, the $428.2 million purchase supports domestic disaster relief efforts by the Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard.
4. According to the Connecticut Post, a “misplaced tractor-trailer” closed down a portion of the southbound side of the Merritt Parkway this morning. The area between Exits 44 in Fairfield and 42 in Westport were closed for about 20 minutes after a truck likely got on the parkway from Route 58 in Fairfield. Tractor-trailers are prohibited from traveling the Merritt Parkway due to the roadway’s low-lying bridges. The Post also reported that a baby was delivered on the southbound side of I-95 this morning near Exit 16 in Norwalk. The baby was born in an ambulance on the side of the highway and delivered by EMTs.
5. The Monroe, LA, Fire Department has added four new vehicles to its fleet, including the department’s first elevated platform tower truck, according to KATC ABC News 3. The report said the tower truck can be used to rescue people from tall structures. KATC has more.