Business News: Driver Shortage The Real Reason

I agree let's start paying new drivers .05 CPM that'll stop the shortage!

 

Not much has changed in the last 20 years....

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Transportation-Journal/18729188.html

 

When I started as a OTR company driver for a general freight carrier, I made over $70,000 my first year in 1999. Now today in 2016 starting pay for the exact same job is in the $17,000 to $27,000 a year range. This trucking industry is doing what they need to do to stay alive with higher truck costs, less shippers to choose from and lining the pockets as always. A conway truckload team can make a potential $70,000 a piece and there isn't a guarantee they will be in business for long now that XPO Logistics owns them. A US Express executive said at a conference recently that they were willing to get a siriusxm satellite radio in the company trucks that they lease but not pay a higher wage/ mileage and even if they did, they would probably run the trucks less or slipseat them. Newbies and even established drivers really don't value their service enough to get paid properly. When elogs become mandatory and the wrecks pile up from drivers doing 65mph in a 35mph to keep up with their time and falling asleep when the elogs push their drive times to the early Am hours, wages will pickup and wrecker outfits will make a killing as well.

 

The biggest problem with the Trucking Industry is the Drivers have no real power at all. No Union, no Organizations to speak for their rights. The Teamsters Union only represents a small percentage of Truck Drivers. All the real Power in this Industry is controlled by the ATA, it's members, and the DOT. They can do just about anything they want and get away with it. If the Driver doesn't like it he has no power to change anything. They just hire more Student drivers to fill their empty trucks. If any other Industry had such a terrible safety record it would be Front Page news every day. If any other Industry cheated its employees out of money like the Trucking Industry does you would never here the end of it. And I'll tell you this. It will never change as long as there is no Organization for all Truck Drivers to unite behind. This Industry is just about as crooked as it gets, and the Government and the Grifters that control it, is the reason it is what it is.

 

FYI, every industry that hasn't completely collapsed has a shortage. This isn't news at all. Cops are underpaid. Nurses are underpaid. Teachers are underpaid. Your underpaid. Your mom and dad and friends and neighbors. We're all working more hours to earn whatever we can to support some lifestyle or saving for a lifestyle. Even rich people feel are underpaid! Believe it or not..

 

No other Industry exploits it's employees like the Trucking Industry does. Do teachers work 70+ hours a week? Doesn't their salary include a 3 month Summer vacation every year? Don't they have a Union? Don't they get a nice fat retirement check if they put in enough time in their line of work? What other Industry claims to have a shortage of workers? What industry has completely or even partially collapsed? I never met anyone who works who doesn't think they deserve more money and benefits. Truck Drivers are exempt from labor laws. Do many of them get paid by the hour? Do they get paid time and a half for anything after they work 40 hours in a week? Are they forced to take a 30 minute unpaid break while they are working and not be paid for it?

 

Real wages haven't risen in a long time,the devaluation of us dollar(removal of the gold standard) hasn't helped. Unions have their benefits (standard 40 hr. work week with overtime pay and a livable wage plus benefits on top of it.)although they're not without their problems.

 

Mr. E and I are topped out in wages as a team. We each make 6 figures. I read the article and the only thought I had was "O H*** No, will I be doing this in 6 years." If I can't improve my lifestyle or wages... 6 more years is never gonna happen.

And honestly trying to get drivers to agree on anything is like herding cats, let alone getting them organized into a political body with the clout to take on the ATA, the EPA and the safety idiots. I used to be dewy eyed and optimistic, too. But I got better.

 

There are some trucking companies now that are offering higher pay/ preverbial carrot. Would be nice if they just raised pay period without the hurdles. Guess that it sounds to much like right! TOO much equipment capacity in the system and bottom - feeders everywhere.

 

Amen bro!!!