10-4 Magazine / September 2025 51 pondering this subject for a few months, and while my lovely wife and I were brainstorming for this month’s article, I stumbled onto this idea. I mentioned earlier this is the most influential time of the year, when recently graduated high school students become newly minted young adults. Many of these young adults leave home and slip from the nest to test their wings. As with any other group, some will take to flight on the first try, while others, well... not so much. I’m reminded of this since I have been watching a nest of bald eagles with two hatchlings across the road for the past few months. FYI: bald eagles are a protected class of birds and there are laws that require a safe distance for viewing. We all aspire to fly like eagles on the currents of change, lifting through difficult times, to soar above missed opportunities and see beyond the horizon. I never imagined the most revered symbol of our freedom, one we see riding currents of lift to heights we can’t even comprehend, might not be eager to fly. I watched the first eaglet leap from the nest and fly a short distance and then perch precariously at the end of a branch while the second one looked on. Minutes later, he left the nest, too, but instead of flying, he walked to his sibling at the end of the branch. Mission accomplished, but by different means, right? Yes, the second eaglet eventually learned to fly, but only after some parental encouragement and supervision. He has since been menacing all the small and active rodents who lurk about the farm. I like to use the example of birds learning to fly because it represents different types of motivation. The first is the adventurous type – they leap from their comfort zone for the thrill because it was exciting, without considering all of the consequences. The second one, however, was for the necessities of reaching the goal. Thoughtful, considerate by design, and reasoning, because there was a need to reach the end of the branch, but without all that emotional connection. Once again, what does this have to do with trucking? Everything! We need more talented, experienced, and qualified people in our business, not more nimrods seeking thrills, with overpriced degrees and disconnected theories of nonsense. Yes, I am being a little hard on some of these people, many of whom have never spent one day in the life of a truck driver, but still think we are on a gear-shifting thrill ride and living an adventure. As a driver, I know the challenges we all face. I also know the best chance any of us have to fix or change these issues is through the next generation. Education is the key, and where these new people get this learning from is also very important. I’m a firm believer that “dollars and cents are not a substitute for common sense.” Harvard or Princeton, or any one of those Ivy League schools, probably can’t solve our troubles. I would place my money and bet on a local community college, since they would be more likely to have professors and guest speakers who are more closely connected to the real world and who have worked in their field of expertise. Life lesson here: most teachers learn from a book, while true professionals, at any given task, learn from their mistakes. There is no substitute for experience. If you are wondering what fields I’m speaking of, let me suggest STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) – real courses that produce real jobs. There are also great training apprenticeship programs in the trades (like construction, transportation, water management, mechanical engineering), with a major in business. These are still four-year degrees, but they will lead to real employment and usable skills at a reasonable price. I bring this subject to your attention as a PSA (public service announcement), so please pass this useful information on to anyone you know who may be considering higher education. Many of you have children and grandchildren who fit this age group. If not, then nieces or nephews, neighbors, or kids of your employees. Regardless of the connections, they are worthy of your attention. The reality is they should be having this discussion as early as junior high and be actively involved in their own education. There will always be the super smart students who will and should advance to those prestigious institutions, but we still need really smart people to help advance our cause – the world of transportation, legislation, and regulation. In my lifetime we have gone from bias ply tires and centerpoint steering to computer generated GPS tracking, self-steering highway trucks, riding on air ride suspension and radial tires. Not that I think all of it is a good idea, but since we have them, someone still needs to control, route, and maintain this high tech machinery. Have you asked yourself yet, “What can I do?” Look around – have you taken a child to work or had them help on weekends? They are never too young to learn by making a game out of everyday activities. This isn’t just a man’s world anymore either, girls build things, too! Did you happen to notice that kids in college are taking an Uber or riding a scooter or bicycle to and from their classes, while the kids working at trucking companies and maintenance shops are driving cool cars, jacked-up 4x4s, and fast motorcycles. Maybe mom
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