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Programs like Be Pro Be Proud “Some of the people I’ve talked to Reymer
which has operated in Arkansas since say, ‘We do it, but I don’t want people
2016 are promoting a new image for the knowing about it,’ because they’re con-
trucking industry among young people. cerned how that looks. It’s taboo to
But changing attitudes is like chang- some extent.”
ing a company’s culture — it takes time Butch Rice gave an informal history
and constant investment. And, as Rice of hiring ex-offenders from his perspec-
pointed out, even if young drivers can be tive. “Twenty years ago, everybody in
hired, the insurance costs will be prohib- this room that has a trucking company
itive to most small carriers. He thanked didn’t hire felons,” he said. “Ten years
Tyson Foods for taking the lead on the ago, you could see ads that would say, ‘If
program. “Bring ‘em in. Train ‘em up. At you haven’t had a felony in the last five
28 we’ll hire them,” Rice joked. years.’ And now it’s, ‘Come on in and
let’s talk about how bad it was.’”
EX-OFFENDERS Insuring ex-offenders can be dif-
In addition to calculating the ficult. Hiring them presents potential tion rates in the world, and Arkansas
costs, risks, and benefits of hiring public relations issues and can cause is among the top five states in rates of
younger drivers, motor carriers are also difficulties if an accident goes to court. imprisonment in the country. Gronbach
considering if and how to add people And working with ex-offenders who estimates there 20 million men in the
convicted of criminal offenses to the still have parole officers makes schedul- country between 25 and 55—what he
labor pool. ing long hauls nearly impossible, but calls prime working age—that are ex-
Jeremy Reymer, founder and CEO demographer Ken Gronbach says find- offenders. Those 3,000 people drawing
of DriverReach, a CDL driver recruiting ing ways to overcome those obstacles is unemployment benefits in Arkansas
and compliance program, said he’s seen necessary from a numbers standpoint. mentioned earlier might not fill all the
changes in the willingness of some car- The United States has one of the trucking openings, but the state’s share
riers to hire ex-offenders. highest, if not the highest incarcera- of those 20 million probably could.

Since 1997, Arkansas Trucking Association has endorsed the legal
services of Drivers Legal Plan and offered savings to members.

26 Issue 3 2022 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT