Cummins in housing crunch for interns

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) - Cummins Inc. is considering a central Indiana shuttle bus service to get its hundreds of college interns to their jobs this summer because of an apartment shortage in its headquarters city.

The engine maker will have the first of its roughly 350 interns arrive in Columbus next week, with more starting every week through June, The Republic reported Thursday ( http://bit.ly/JcKC78 ).

A jump in hiring by Cummins and other companies in the city about 40 miles south of Indianapolis has made it difficult to find short-term housing for the interns, most of whom are engineering students, said Nicole Grider, U.S. college recruiting manager for Cummins.

The company figures some interns might have to find housing in Indianapolis, Greenwood and Bloomington, so the daily bus service might be offered.

The Columbus area's labor force in March was up more than 2,500 compared to a year earlier — a boom being driven by Cummins, the county's largest employer. The company announced last summer that it would hire an additional 600 professional employees.

Apartment complexes have curtailed or even discontinued short-term leases because of the high demand for long-term leases, said Jack Hess, president of Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

Cummins also is asking employees and other Columbus-area homeowners if they want to rent rooms to its interns. Grider said the company made 70 such connections last year.