Across past episodes of TalentWise, we’ve explored the workforce challenge from every angle: demographers breaking down the data, HR leaders sharing proactive strategies, mental health experts strengthening critical infrastructure, and national apprenticeship advocates building new pathways to opportunity. Now, we’re shifting gears to a part of the economy that keeps everything moving but rarely gets the spotlight: trucking — specifically tank truck transportation. This essential sector powers industries from energy to food supply, yet it faces an urgent need to attract the next generation of drivers. To unpack what’s at stake and what solutions are on the table, we’re joined by Ryan Streblow, President & CEO of National Tank Truck Carriers. His perspective connects national workforce trends to the very real operational challenges on the ground as we discuss how this story fits into the bigger workforce puzzle.

Insight: The workforce we depend on is often the one we overlook

Did you know that most every product you use, from fuel and food ingredients to medical supplies and manufacturing materials, was once transported in a tank truck?

As NTTC’s Ryan Streblow shared on TalentWise, the industry may represent only 5% of commercial trucks on the road, but it hauls nearly a third of the nation’s tonnage. In his words, “If the tank truck industry stops, everything else stops.”

Behind that movement of goods are highly trained professionals who manage complex equipment, transport sensitive materials, and serve as frontline support during natural disasters, energy disruptions, and national emergencies.

Too often, trucking is misunderstood as a fallback job rather than what it truly is: a respected, skilled profession that can offer six-figure earning potential, career mobility, and lifestyle flexibility without requiring a traditional four-year degree.

As Ryan put it simply, “There is a hero inside every tank truck.”

This insight comes from our conversation with Ryan Streblow on Season 2 of TalentWise, where he explores workforce challenges in transportation and why reframing career narratives is essential to attracting the next generation.

Read about how Markstein partnered with NTTC to attract more drivers to the tank truck industry.