Nunn announces investments in pair of counties

OTTUMWA — Citing a truck driver shortage that only seems to be increasing, U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn announced a $1 million investment into a new semitruck driving pad to train Indian Hills Community College students Monday.

Nunn, surrounded by college president Matt Thompson and other college officials, said the pad will be part of the college's Truck Driver Education Center on the North Campus.

The finding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which was passed on a bipartisan basis in both the U.S House and Senate. It was signed by President Joe Biden March 9.

"This will put more truck drivers on the road, not just for Iowa, but for the entire country," Nunn said. "The supply chain shortage is real, and we've seen a dramatic increase in the amount of inflation. Part of that is due to the supply chain.

"But through this, we have the ability to not only fight the shortage and the backlog in the supply chain, but also make sure people who are sitting in the cab are going to get a better quality of life because they're going to have a better quality of job."

Thompson said the truck driver program has been an investment over many years, certainly since he started at the college 11 years ago. That investment was moved to the front burner when the pandemic struck.

"I think back in 2020 we realized just how essential our truck drivers were. They're essential workers, just like health care workers because the work they're doing is helping save families," he said.

He said he wasn't concerned that automation, which has affected many career paths, would affect truck driving in any tangible way.

"There's been this thought that someday those trucks will be automated, but I think 18 wheels going down the highway will never be fully automated without assistance of a driver," he said. "But until that happens, what we teach at the college is really centered around safety. I just see this need for years and years to come."

About 10 years ago, the college took a step and put a gravel lot on its campus for trucks, but "gravel is hard on tires," Thompson said. He said the college has been looking for funding sources to improve the lot.

"It's just been hard to do that because it's a significant investment, but also you're finding money for 70 other programs," he said. "Since 2020, we've invested in a second program for commercial driver's license (CDL), which will start in the fall down in Centerville. We've invested in simulation equipment that we have here now, we have a mobile simulation lab that will be in Centerville.

"We're just always look at ways we can prioritize programs that make a difference in the lives of other people, and we certainly know that producing safe, quality drivers makes a huge difference."

Nunn believed the investment will impact the entire community.

"You get to grow right here at Indian Hills, but the impact is largely felt by the business community, and the people who are trying to hire," he said. "It's people who are looking for a second career, even maybe a third career or in retirement, and they have the opportunity to do that."

After his Ottumwa stop, Nunn visited Centerville, where he announced a $4.8 million investment for a new rail spur project. The investment also was secured through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.

According to a press release, the funding will help the Appanoose County Community Railroad build a spur that will add six miles of track to enable 100-car trains to be parked and loaded inside of the county's two economic development projects.