“If you’ve got it, a truck brought it.”

This phrase rings true for just about everyone across Iowa, according to Rick George, vice president of safety for Decker Truck Line Inc.

But that message is threatened amid labor shortages in the trucking industry and supply chain issues impacting Americans across the country.

“We need to do something to attract more drivers to the industry,” George said.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican, announced that she has collaborated with U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, also a Republican, and other senators to urge the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to lower the age of eligibility for drivers with a commercial driver’s license to operate over state lines, from 21 to 18.

The population of interstate truck drivers is rapidly aging, which could lead to even more severe labor shortages in the near future.

“The average age of our drivers in the industry is in their mid-50s,” George said. “So drivers are going to be leaving the industry pretty quick, through retirement and things like that, so we need to bring some fresh blood in.”

George noted that safety is Decker’s primary concern and that the company is able to monitor drivers from the office thanks to today’s technology.

“Without a doubt, we want to make sure that we’re putting people in trucks that we wouldn’t be afraid to have our family drive next to on the highway.”

With technology, he said, Decker can watch and make sure that drivers — both young and seasoned — are operating safely on the roads.

While George didn’t specify if Decker is experiencing a shortage of drivers, he did mention that the company has plenty of openings.

“We could put lots of drivers to work right away,” he said.

George said he hopes that more younger people become interested in driving commercial trucks.

“Driving a truck is a terrific career,” he said. “The majority of the communities in Iowa are served only by truck.”

In a letter to FMCSA Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi, Ernst, Grassley, and their colleagues write, “We write to you with growing concern for the labor shortage faced by the trucking industry. The truck driver shortage, coupled with the nation’s ongoing supply chain issues, has been extremely detrimental to the economy. If left unaddressed, inaction to grow America’s pool of truck drivers threatens to drive up shipping expenses, prolong delays, and burden already-strained consumers with additional costs… With these concerns in mind, we urge the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to allow persons 18 years of age and older to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce to get American goods and services moving again.”

They added, “Our nation’s commerce hinges on interstate trucking, but the age of entry for this profession blocks the youngest members of our workforce from the career field…Those seeking an alternative pathway to an expensive four-year degree may find the three-year gap between high school graduation and the eligible age for interstate trucking inhibitive. It should be our policy to aid and encourage these capable workers.”