ROCHESTER, N.Y. — ​The trucking industry is in dire need of new employees, from drivers behind the wheel to technicians maintaining those big rigs, and many other positions throughout the industry.

That’s why those currently in the industry visited Edison Tech this week, to expose them to trucking as something they can do after graduation, and gain a fresh generation of workers.

There was already a shortage of truck workers before the pandemic, but Rusty Stetzel with the Trucking Association of New York says it’s now worse.

He says almost every trucking company across New York and the country is hiring. Stetzel and Theodore Adriaansden, the head tech with Johnson Equipment, believe younger people no longer are looking into the industry because it’s not seen as glamorous.

They want students to know it’s a good option that give you a comfortable living with needing to go to college. Getting more working is also important, they say, because this shortage impacts everyone.

"Grocery stores with empty shelves,” Stetzel said. “Products sitting on a dock some place, and we don't have enough trucks to move it. What they do move, pricing is so high that it's kind of ridiculous."

"It's not the safest thing not being able to have the availability to work on the trucks, change the tires, do the breaks, or look at the drivers' concerns as much as you would like, because you're rushed to do everything that you need to do or get done to keep the freight moving down so you guys can get your Amazon packages and everything else," Adriaansden added.

Thursday marked the last day truckers and engineers visited Edison Tech, but the Trucking Association of New York has gone to other schools to recruit.

There are plenty of job openings in the trucking industry around the area that have online application processes.