The average American changes jobs every 4.2 years and younger adults are more prone to movement than older workers, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Workers between 25 and 34 years old only stay in a position 2.8 years on average while people 55 to 64 hold steady for just over 10 years. Although the statistics point to wide-reaching sectors experiencing increased job-hopping by younger employees, the causes differ across industries.
Truck drivers perform unique duties and face unusual challenges. That may be why statistics indicate CDL-holders more often switch jobs within 12 months, causing turnover rates averaging 94 percent with some freight hauling outfits routinely exceeding 100 percent annually. An unsettled workforce generally proves problematic for fleet and freight operations. That’s largely why employers would be well served to consider the reasons why truck drivers engage in job-hopping.
Truck Drivers Pursue Higher Paying Positions
Data compiled by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics indicates that truckers enjoy steady work and earn median salaries of approximately $47,130. The bottom 10 percent reportedly makes only $30,660 with top average drivers securing more than double at $69,480. These wide disparities often motivate truck drivers to seek higher-paying opportunities as their experience grows. Employers desiring to keep reliable truckers may want to consider increasing salaries incrementally to reduce financial-based attrition.
Disagreements With Dispatchers & Supervisors
Industry bean counters sometimes fail to understand that it’s not all about the money. Sometimes people leave people, not necessarily the company or occupation. That reality should serve as a wake-up call to decision-makers who employ an outdated chain of command model that puts taskmasters as direct trucker supervisors. Just as people leave people, they also stick with bosses they believe have their best interests in mind. Consider transitioning into a 21st Century business model that places greater emphasis on valuing truckers as real people.
Too Much Time Away From Loved Ones
It’s not uncommon for younger drivers to jump into OTR positions because these usually offer higher salaries, benefits, and even sign-on bonuses in many cases. The lure of making upwards of $100,000 proves attractive at first. But the long miles of unfamiliar faces result in truckers getting homesick. Those with spouses and children back home find the weeks on the road challenging. This prompts OTR drivers to seek out local and regional jobs that allow them to go home every night or at least more days of the week. Freight outfits can reduce this type of job-hopping by factoring in truck drivers’ needs to maintain close relations with friends and family members.
Competition for qualified CDL-holders has never been more fierce and organizations are running marketing campaigns to keep a full complement of truckers. Outfits that want to maintain a reliable workforce and minimize job-hopping need to take proactive measures to ensure quality of life needs are met and truckers are well compensated.
Sources: abouttruckdriving.com, ifreighttx.com
Another factor causing drivers to jump that I’ve never seen mentioned is garbage equipment. What driver wants to leave the yard with a tractor that is being held together with wire and sheet metal screws? Who wants to hear a mechanic say, week after week, “We’ll fix that when you get back. If we do it now, you’ll be late”? Who wants to drive a truck that is so loud you can’t hear the radio, if it has one? This is most common among local companies that slip seat drivers. The drivers know they probably won’t be in that tractor tomorrow so why take care of it. But it’s also a company problem when reported problems aren’t addressed and allowed to add up. Maintain your equipment and see what that does to retention and recruiting.
Also most of these company in the industry only care about there bottom line, they hire dispatch that’s don’t use common sense can’t make good decision, and love lying to the driver, the FMCSA can put in all the regulation they like, nothing will change until these company start hiring peoples in there office with good peoples skill, what I mean about that, is some body that listen and not just here you when you speak to them about a problem.
You make a certain amount of money as a driver. No room for advancement. My income is within a $1000.00 up or down each year for 11 years. No pension, no retirement, no moving up the ladder etc. trucking isn’t a career, it’s a job. Most employees aren’t loyal to jobs. We have nothing to lose if we quit.
How many drivers are stuck on the road waiting for a load on their time with no pay? How many drivers are expected to babysit a truck and load on their time with no pay? How long have drivers been pushed to work over hours by carriers that have no respect for the driver, expecting drivers too risk penalties and fines if they do, and job dismissal if they don’t? The government has always protected the Carriers, there is no accountability for Carriers breaking the rules, they all fall on the driver in fines from the DOT, if a truck isn’t mantained by a carrier, it’s on the driver. Truck driving is the only career that you get paid half the time you work and your fined for working. Where does Labour stats get their stats from a trucker survey, or is this an opinion piece.
How about ” we pay by the mile, not all the miles, we have this formula that cheats you out of 10 to 15% of the miles you drive”.