TODAY’S MODERATOR: Seeking more truckers

The trucking industry in Ohio is under stress to find enough qualified drivers — and state lawmakers are worried about it.

Staff writer Jim Otte reported this week on "A series of bills were introduced addressing various problems that have put the industry in crisis, according to state Rep. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, the author of one of the bills. 'The trucking industry is in crisis and because they are in crisis our economy is in crisis,' Antani said. 'Every single good moves on a truck. When you buy a car, a desk, chair or pencil, it came on a truck to the store where you are buying it from the manufacturer.'"

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The bills would help companies obtain insurance for younger drivers, Otte wrote, and also provide "scholarships and loans — $2,500 scholarships for up to 1,000 students and a loan of the same amount — to those who want to attend truck-driver schools, and tax credits of up to $25,000 to companies that provide on-the-job training programs for drivers."

As the economy continues to heal and grow, interesting new problems pop up. Your thoughts? email rrollins@coxohio.com.

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