Burgum signs order to help recruit truckers to deliver milk

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has signed an emergency order meant to ease a shortage of truck drivers to deliver milk to schools, businesses and other customers. The edict waives hours of service requirements for drivers for 30 days, which follows a decision by the state’s milk marketing board to waive enforcement of certain licensing requirements until April 1, 2022. The measures come after a major milk distributor in North Dakota went out of business, due in part to a lack of certified drivers. More than 50 school districts were at risk of losing milk deliveries. Burgum and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring are spearheading an effort to recruit truckers who have allowed their commercial driver’s licenses to expire. The state has lost 3,000 certified drivers since 2017.