So they say there’s a truck driver shortage? Yes, it’s true…. there aren’t enough truckers, to fill available truck driving jobs in the U.S. and Canada.
In fact, in 2015, U.S. trucking companies report there are over 30,000 empty seats, needing to be filled. And worse yet, the problem continues to escalate. Predictions are the problem will continue to grow exponentially in the upcoming years….. figures say over 200,000 empty seats predicted.
How on earth can there be a shortage of truck drivers, when commercial driving schools and trucking companies are pumping out newly trained drivers in droves?
Statistics tell us there are lots of licensed truck drivers without work.
So what gives here?
North American trucking companies weep and cry the blues about the empty seats in their company trucks and their big losses in revenue. However, I find it mind boggling they are so surprised drivers aren’t lining up to fill these driving jobs.
The writing has been on the wall for many many years now. Driver turnover rates are in excess of 90%. The numbers don’t lie.
We’ve got a serious shortage of truckers. There’s more demand than ever to move goods by trucks, which creates an even greater shortage. But, there are very clear reasons this issue has become so serious.
Nothing has been done to address this looming issue over the past number of years.
It’s only recently, the powers that be and North American carriers are sweating bullets over filling the 30,000+ empty seats… and wondering how to fix the problem.
What Caused the Trucker Shortage?
The American and Canadian trucking companies are in this mess and have no one to blame but themselves. Many trucking companies have been guilty of implementing tricks and tactics to squirm out of paying the drivers money they’ve earned.
The problem really boils down to money…..in essence, the distribution of money in the trucking industry..… it’s not exactly rocket science.
There’s MONEY IN TRUCKING… it’s just not distributed well.
#1. TRUCK DRIVER PAY IS TOO LOW. A truck driving job was once a good paying career. A job that paid on the average, $43,500, 10 years ago, when costs were lower, now pays $41,000.
Trucker wages from the ’60’s to ’80’s, were fair. Drivers were able to support their families on the wages. They were considered middle class wage earners. Not so nowadays.
The pay is too low to keep up with the cost of living. And meal expenses when on the road? At the end of the day, there’s not a whole lot of $$ left in the trucker’s pocket.
#2. FREIGHT MOVES CHEAP. We’ve let the shippers away with this criminal act for a long, long time. Freight rates aren’t even close to what they should be.
Before deregulation ruined the trucking industry, trucking companies, company drivers, owner operators and independent truckers were well paid for their work.
Deregulation, however, destroyed the balance in trucking. It was great for those paying the freight shipping costs and was a boost for the economy at the time. But, in the long run, deregulation brought about the demise of the trucking industry as well as the economy in North America. Just my humble opinion.
#3. TOO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS. To add a few more holes to an already leaky bucket, the trucking industry is becoming more heavily regulated than ever before. Many drivers are distressed by the electronic log system and the ever changing Hours of Service regs, and are leaving the industry.
Who Is Left To Drive the Trucks?
The drivers remaining in the industry are:
i) Truckers who like the work and stay with the job in spite of the stringent rules, regulations. For many, it’s a job they still love, in spite of the problems.
ii) Experienced drivers in the better paying positions, close to throwing in the keys and retiring.
iii) Truckers who can’t do the math, won’t do the math, and ignore the math…. drivers who simply can’t afford to quit, scared to quit and are at a loss for an alternate career.
iv) Foreign workers. Workers from other countries will often take jobs in North America and be satisfied with the wages.
How To Solve the Trucker Shortage
I’m sure the very important CEO’s of the big trucking companies think of truck drivers simply as a commodity to be used at the cheapest rates possible. However, they will need to change their thinking in order to fix this problem.
1. Redistribution of money in the trucking industry.…..less into the big pockets of the big players and more into the pockets of the truckers. To increase wages of the front line workers, the CEO’s and shareholders would suffer big financial hits. THEIR salaries need to be slashed by a few million dollars each year.
Increasing trucker wages substantially, giving them a decent health benefit plan, and a pension would make a CDL trucking job, much more attractive.
Perhaps consider hourly wages, like other trades and professions. Show them the money and they will line up to fill those 30,000+ driving jobs.
Hard work deserves a fair wage. But that’s just a pipe dream, I guess. To give the North American trucker a pension, wont’ make a hierarchy of teamster board members rich.
2. Truck driving need to be a recognized trade. The job ought to be recognized by the governments as an official skilled trade, with decent truck driving training programs and apprentice programs. This could help prevent this problem from happening again in the future. There needs to be more stringent control over the training and wages of truckers.
3. Freight rates need to increase. Shippers have had it too good for a long, long time now. It’s ludicrous that today’s shipping rates are lower than 20-30 years ago, as trucking costs and cost of living index increase.
In defense of the smaller trucking companies, profit margins may be so slim already, they may not have the money to give more to their workers. So, freight rates need to increase to help put some more money into the hands of the truckers.
We need a sharp increase in rates. We need to say NO TO CHEAP FREIGHT.
Future of the Truck Driver Shortage Issue
Presently, there’s not enough qualified drivers signing up for these mediocre paying jobs with poor working conditions. And to add insult to injury, truckers ARE NOT TREATED WELL.
Driving a tractor trailer in North America has become a job for immigrants, who will work for less money. They are accustomed to subsistence level living in their home countries, or that is what they need to do, to stay in this country. Wait until the cost of living in the North America catches up with them… then they’ll know they can’t work for peanuts either.
There just aren’t enough incentives to keep the skilled, experienced drivers in the industry AND attract new blood.
If someone could make more money as a heavy equipment operator, driving a bulldozer and be at home every night, why be a trucker?
The military can attract workers and they are away often a year at a time. The difference? The pay is good.
The industry needs to smarten up and pay truckers a fair wage if they want drivers to KEEP ON TRUCKING. Bringing in foreign labour isn’t the answer. It’s just a band-aid solution.
More recently, we’re seeing companies offering substantial sign on bonuses and increases in mileage rates. It is a step in the right direction, but it’s still not enough.
Will driving a truck for a living ever be as good as it once was 25-30 years ago? Sadly, I doubt that it will ever happen. But, it could easily be better than what it is now.
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