BEAUMONT, Texas — Southeast Texas is preparing for major Golden Triangle economic growth along the I-10 corridor as several new truck stops are being built between Beaumont and Orange.
Leaders are counting on the new truck stops to boost the economy as a result of the increased need for truck drivers across Southeast Texas.
12News spoke with Vidor's City Manager to learn more about the economic impact that the new truck stops will have.
Some truck drivers haul heavy loads to and from Southeast Texas industries and ports while others use the I-10 corridor on their way to Houston or Louisiana, stopping to fill up on gas, food and more.
"They're building new truck stops across I-10, across Texas and Louisiana as well," said Lamar State College-Orange CDL Program Director Carl Cormier.
Four new rest stops will soon line I-10 between Beaumont and the state line to give drivers a much needed break.
"So, the growing popularity of places for trucks to be parking, access for fuel, and things of that nature," said Cormier.
Southeast Texas leaders are banking on those big bucks to fuel our economy.
"You're looking at fuel, and then, when there, like I said, we have those restaurants that are in there," said City Manager of Vidor Robbie Hood. "There's merchandise that's being sold, that kind of aims at truckers."
He says the city recently annexed land where one of the truck stops is currently being build.
"So, every dollar that's spent inside the road ranger, the City of Vidor captures sales tax from that, as does the state in Orange County," said Hood.
There's currently a need for more truck drivers in Southeast Texas.
"Southeast Texas is the hub," said Hood. "We have the oil industry, manufacturing industry, and we're a hub not only for that, but for the entire state of Texas, but trucking as well."
Lamar State College-Orange is hoping to meet the need for more truck drivers by training new drivers.
"We have a CDL program that we teach them how to drive trucks, how to get their Class A, Class B driver's license," said Cormier.
So far, at least one truck stop is scheduled to open at the end of October of this year.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.