The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department and Arkansas Highway Commission awarded the University of Central Arkansas a $3 million grant to build a program focused on trucking.
The grant will help create an endowed faculty position and four-year supply chain logistics management major. The major will allow students to study motor carrier operations, regulations, safety, risk management, labor relations and transportation policy.
Proposed courses include classes on transportation and motor carrier management, safety and motor carrier policy and human resources management. The major will be available starting with the fall 2017 semester.
“These kids are really excited about having the opportunity to get into some of these big companies and get their foot in the door and get started on their career in this industry,” said Doug Voss, associate professor of logistics and supply chain management at the university.
Looking to the future, Voss said he would like to see the program expand from the undergraduate level to include graduate degrees. He said that an online program could help meet a need for graduate-level studies in the trucking industry nationwide.
“There’s some opportunity to create a graduate level program at some point in the future that serves the broader motor carrier industry across the country,” Voss said.
