As soon as Dec. 14th, trucking company owners have a chance to apply for a state grant that can give them up to $2,500 to train new employees.

The goal is to get the trucking business back on track.

Across the country, there is a mass shortage of drivers, putting the skids on the trucking industry, but a new $6 million grant, signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, aims to get more rookies ready to hit the road.

Mike Cockrum is the Workforce Development Manager for the Iowa Workforce Development.

He said the grants are a way to help business owners get more employees through the doors and in the driver’s seat.

“The new Iowa Entry-Level Driver Training Program is designed to help employers recruit and retain drivers by being able to help them provide entry level driver training, which is a training that is required before someone were to get their CDL, to be able to take their CDL test. They have to complete entry level driver training. So, the grant purpose is to provide employers funding,” said Cockrum.

Businesses can apply for grant money to reimburse the costs of in-house training or employee tuition at a third-party training program.

The Iowa Motor Truck Association said the grant is a step in the right direction to help strengthen a business plagued by major employee shortages, with 80,000 semi seats sitting empty nationwide.

"One of the biggest barriers that we face in the trucking industry that is sometimes hard for folks to overcome as they're looking for a career option: they are on the road. There are lots of jobs to get them home every night, lots of jobs to get them home every weekend, but there is still a significant proportion of the job that requires you to be out on the road,” said Brenda Neville, CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

Jobs left vacant from those retiring are not being filled as fast as they need to be, which is pushing trucking companies to offer more hiring incentives and bring more minorities and women on board.

The trucking industry recognizes that it has to be very nimble and that's probably the biggest thing that I’ve seen over the last five years is how these trucking operations have really changed their dynamic and their conversations about drivers. They have to change their program,” said Neville.

The date to apply for the grant program begins on Dec. 13th and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 3rd.

Applications can be submitted here.