Truck drivers are the backbone of the trucking industry.
They keep the goods moving across the country.
Despite their critical role, they often face unique challenges that can make life on the road frustrating.
After talking to truckers, reading emails and hosting surveys, we’ve come up with a TOP 10 LIST OF COMMON TRUCK DRIVER COMPLAINTS and why the heck these complaints deserve more attention.
The 10 Most Common Complaints of Truck Drivers
1. Unrealistic Delivery Deadlines
This one personally bugs us the most. Many truck drivers feel the pressure applied by tight delivery schedules that leave little room for unforeseen delays like traffic or bad weather.
This causes unnecessary stress and is also dangerous.
We hear drivers often say they’re treated like machine in this regard.
It only takes one ‘high speed dispatcher’ to push a driver behind their limits.
Most drivers are paid by the mile, so drivers are ‘incentivized’ to get to their delivery as fast as they can.
2. Low Pay for Hours Worked
One of the most common frustrations is the pay system.
Many drivers believe they’re underpaid for the time and effort their job requires.
While they’re typically paid by miles driven, they’re often not paid for non-driving duties like loading, unloading, or waiting at a loading dock.
All those unpaid hours add up, making their calculated hourly wage often lower than minimum wage.
3. Excessive Time Away from Home
Extended periods away from home base are a constant complaint in the trucking industry.
OTR drivers can be on the road for weeks at a time, missing out on important family events and lacking personal downtime away from the job.
The isolation and loneliness of a truck driving job can take a toll on mental health and also cause strain on personal relationships.
4. Poor Treatment at Shippers and Receivers
We hear from drivers that they are frequently treated badly by staff at warehouses and distribution centers. Some say they are ignored or while waiting for hours to load or unload. No restrooms or worse, not being allowed to use staff restrooms, lack of basic amenities adds to the frustration, making these stops a much hated part of the job.
5. Lack of Parking
Finding truck parking is a daily struggle for truck drivers. Whether it’s at rest areas, truck stops, or at delivery destinations, space is severely limited, giving drivers poor options like to park illegally or in dangerous locations.
6. Inconsistent Maintenance Policies
Truck drivers rely on properly maintained equipment to keep them safe and allow them to do their job on the road. However, many drivers mention to us about inconsistent or neglected maintenance by their trucking company, leaving them to deal with breakdowns .When equipment fails, it’s the driver who’s stuck waiting for repairs, often without pay, as waiting time isn’t often paid.
7. Health Challenges from Long Hours
Sitting for long stretches of time, eating crappy take-out food, and messed up sleep patterns make it very hard for drivers to stay healthy. Many truck drivers report developing chronic health issues like back pain, obesity, and fatigue from the on-the-go fast paced, stressful schedule. It’s so tough to find the time to eat and live to keep healthy when on the road. In fact, it’s often downright impossible.
8. Overregulation in Trucking
Yes, safety regulations are ideally designed to protect everyone on the road, many truckers feel overwhelmed by the constant changes and strict enforcement in the trucking industry. Electronic logging devices (ELDs), hours-of-service rules, and other regs demand drivers jump through hoops, just to stay compliant. Often, drivers say these rules and regulations work against them when trying to meet schedules, which is really counter productive.
9. Lack of Respect for the Profession
Truck drivers often feel their contributions go unrecognized. Despite playing a critical role in keeping shelves stocked and businesses running, they report being treated unfairly by the public, other drivers on the road, as well as their own employers. This lack of respect makes what is already a tough job, seem enough tougher. The public and even trucking companies themselves, don’t seem to recognize the job of a truck driver is stressful, dangerous and takes a lot of skill to do it safely and do it well.
10. Stressful Traffic and Road Conditions
Spending hours navigating heavy traffic, construction zones, and reckless drivers is a constant headache. Despite their skill, they’re often blamed for accidents or treated like a nuisance by other drivers.
So Now What?
Truck drivers sacrifice a lot to keep our economy going.
Just by taking a look at their complaints, it’s so easy to see where this trucking industry needs to improve and make changes.
- Better Pay.
- Respect.
- Better Quality of Life for Drivers
These things would create a stronger and certainly a more sustainable workforce.
Without truck drivers, life as we know it would grind to a halt.
It’s high time we listen.
