In response to what the ATA and state trucking associations have been referring to as the “driver shortage,” lawmakers in Ohio have introduced four new bills hoping to make it easier for companies to train and recruit new drivers.
According to the American Trucking Association, if things keep going as they are, there will be more than 900,000 unfilled trucking jobs within the next 10 years. So Ohio lawmakers are stepping in to offer four new bills that they think will help encourage new drivers to join the industry.
All of the bills are focused on making it easier to become a trucker, but they may not do much to address the issue of keeping seats filled long-term.
One bill would create a $5 million fund to help students afford their CDL schooling. Up to 1,000 students would receive a $2,500 loan and a matching $2,500 scholarship to go towards the cost of earning their CDL.
According to Rep. Niraj Antani, it can be struggle to get younger drivers jobs in trucking. One reason is that insurance companies won’t allow carriers to employ more than a few drivers between 21-24 without increasing rates to the point where they’re no longer affordable.
“Typically if you have a trucking company of 100 drivers, they will insure five to 10 at age 21 to 24. Right now if you are 18 to 20 you just cannot get insurance,” Antani said according to Dayton Daily News.
Rep. Antani’s bill aims to help companies get affordable insurance for 21-24 year old interstate drivers and for 18-20 year old in-state drivers.
The third bill would seek to make it easier for military veterans with truck driving experience to obtain their CDLs once they return home.
And finally, the fourth bill would provide $3 million in tax credits to companies who develop their own on-the-job training programs for new drivers.
According to Tom Balzer, the president and CEO of the Ohio Trucking Association, adding scholarships for truckers and giving tax credits to companies will help fill up vacant driving positions.
“These are jobs that pay very well, have great benefits and are never going to be off-shored,” said Balzer. “They are always going to be there, always going to be available.”
Source: wkbn, wosu, daytondailynews
Marion D. Hunt says
Anyone with a basic understanding of economics knows the ATA is lying about a driver shortage.
Jeanne Berg says
If they hire more drivers where the heck are they gonna park off duty. We are already sometimes parking on off ramps and shippers and walmarts.
MARK MILES says
Boom. You get it.
Gary Ernest says
So, can you explain why the average age of the truck driver continues to increase?
Rufus Crank says
If there is a driver shortage, the ATA created it by exploiting their drivers to the point they quit the industry. Freight rates dont reflect a driver shortage, but looking at the highways every day makes me believe there are too many automobile drivers behind the wheel of these trucks.
Dominic Jermano says
There are many reasons why there are driver shortages. First is that many drivers who get out there find out how it really is, and how the industry does not change, so why do it? One is the DOT, where they should use their Scales on the highways to earn money, by offering scaling for trucks, instead of tickets. This would generate money for the highway infrastructure. Another issue is having Companies that will provide housing for drivers for a period of time. This means the address to their CDL should be based on where they are employed, not where they live, especially if they don’t have a place to live, nor can afford. You spend all that time in the Truck to pay rent on a place you never live at, is a complete waste of money and time. Why do that? If you can buy a place so you know you don’t lose your money, that is a little different, but I assure you most drivers don’t have the money to get a Mortgage let alone have enough of a down payment to get into such an arrangement. Then the other issue is giving drivers a choice of loads going where, instead of told you have to go here or there. If I told the employer I am not going to Chicago, that should be enough. And so you get the turn over, people quit, or even abandon the trucks, because the Dispatchers think they own the drivers.
sam gray says
You hit on 50 percent of the problems, forgot shorting miles, being stuck on docks for 4/5 hrs. serving as temp storage or fridge, etc.
I REMEMBER CLEARLY the voice of a furious driver who had made $133.000 that year but cleared $33.000 ………………………………………
after his expenses were deducted.
MrYowler says
Imagine if trucking companies did provide housing. When they terminate you, do they send you your stuff? Where? How long do they give you, to vacate?
When a driver wants to quit, is the company now going to HD their stuff hostage? If the company decides that you owe them money, do they just sell your stuff?
Do you seriously trust your employer enough to leave your personal possessions, money, family photos, and computer, in their unsupervised possession? Really?
unclefungus says
I’ve left my truck in the yard for the weekend only to return to find all of my belongings thrown into a empty trailer. Their reason. “We needed a truck”
David T McKinley says
So a company like J.B. Hunt, Swift etc are going to allow thousands of people to use their address as a personal residence.
HUH …lol…I’ll be nice.
There’s laws against that. See! I was nice.
Example for thought:
1) John Doe has his address as the office of JB Hunt. He opens a checking account with that address. (Most states require a state ID to open an acct.)
John runs out of cash. So he goes on a check bouncing spree 1 weekend.
Well…not to worry, we’ll go to his house and arrest him. They go… … … …WHAT!!! HE LIVES AT JB HUNTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE?
See just the tip of the problem with that idea?
Lemme tell you what’s wrong with the FALSE claim that there is a driver shortage. The big companys pump that junk (you’ll always have a job with us etc) and they have STACKS of apps from these young people out here. And that keeps rates down.
And the young folks don’t have a CLUE what they’re doing out here. (They were told when they “GRADUATED” their little fly by night truck driving that they were PROFESSIONAL TRUCK DRIVERS) Thus the term I hear ALL DAY LONG “DRIVER” …Hell I turn my radio off because I can’t stand hearing DRIVER this, or DRIVER that.
You young folks that come out here and (most don’t last 6 months) …you don’t know JACK.
The BEST thing you can do is ADMIT that you’re new at this. Ask for help from someone who CAN help you. Buy yourself a little CB radio. It will help learn. (That Bluetooth you have can’t tell you that you just threw a cap off your wagon “trailer” or that the lights are working on the wagon etc.) Buy a radio. Learn to be respectful. (You really don’t wanna learn respect the hard way)
No coming in that THIS IS AS MUCH A LIFE STYLE AS IT IS A JOB.
Another thing. When truck or anything else for that matter is passing you…but very slowly. Why don’t you take you foot off that right side pedal for 3 seconds. Let that guy go by you. If not, you’re holding up traffic forever…and its just not safe. Too easy for the 2 of you…while side by side…to become 1. ONE BIG ACCIDENT THAT WILL HURT YOUR NEW CAREER.
Look…stay OFF THAT DAMN PHONE telling ya buddys what a SUPER trucker you are…NOT!
If you don’t want to learn to do this job the right way. Please stay home.
A. Negrete says
There is no driver shortage , there is a shortage in what they pay the drivers just ask any driver out there if they think they get a fair day’s pay for companies wanting to work them up to their 14 hour max . If you want to keep drivers you pay them more money and give them good benefits.
Mark says
I agree with previous comment rates do not reflect a shortage of drivers. Further more the article states that driver jobs” pay very well with excellent benifits” that is just not true when you consider time away from home and number of hrs put in each day the pay is low considering the sacrifice. If the rates and the pay were what they should be there would not be such a high turnover of drivers. We do not have a shortage problem we have a turnover problem.
Murray says
Need to stop company’s from making drivers pay for damage to trucks that isn’t there fault. Like making a driver drive in super heavy snow in and the plastic bumper breaks and driver had to pay for it!
David Stout says
I know when I was in my 20s I drove my car like a mad man thinking I was indestructible. I think and the Insurance companies think it is a very bad idea to give guys 18 to 24 years old a Class A license. Accidents just waiting to happen.
On another note, It is easy for these trucking companies to keep drivers by doing the following;
1. Pay the company driver at least $28 an hour as a starting pay with a guaranteed 5% pay raise every year after that.
2. Pay O/O at least $3 a mile.
3. Work your company drivers 4 days a week with 3 days off (Friday, Saturday and Sunday off as an example).
4. You trust your drivers hauling millions of dollars a year in freight, so trust your drivers with a truck that can run 72 mph and 75 mph if they work in an area with 75 mph speed limits. I’ve drove trucks that were governed at 63 mph and trucks that were governed at 74 mph, I had more close call accidents in the truck that went 63 mph.
5. Good health Insurance and 5% company matching 401k. Pet and rider policy.
6. Respect from the dispatcher. Tell a driver he or she did a good job every once in a while, that goes a very long way and the driver in turn will respect the dispatcher.
Every year the18-wheeler driver job is in the top 10 most dangerous industrial jobs in America, so do the above and make it worth it to drive a truck and you will have very little turn over.
sam gray says
In the next life it’s 28.00 an hr. Still by the mile which they then short. Good start.
MrYowler says
Stop calling dispatchers, “driver managers”. It gives them the impression that they are our superiors, and that we are answerable to them, but they are not answerable to us. If that’s to be the deal, then they need to share in the responsibility for citations and/or accidents. As long as they are exempted from responsibility, they abdicate any authority. At best, we’re coworkers. At worst, they are resources for us to use. Or perhaps just pains in our backsides… at worst. The industry needs to put decision-making authority back where the responsibility for the consequences of those decisions, lies. That is the kind of respect that drivers are looking for, and it is not an unreasonable thing to want.
David T McKinley says
Calling these young folks driver managers was the only way they (the bigger companys) could get them to hire on. They had to have a TITLE lol…but this is true.
Most are college grads with computer skills required in today’s market.
The REAL dispatchers quit some time back. They were ok truck hands that knew what they were doing and talking about.
The young folks out here that us those terms “driver manager and ‘driver’ tell me from jump street that they are straight outta some junk school and think they know it all.
They don’t and most won’t last 6 months.
Mike Kazan says
First of all, stop wasting taxpayers money. There are plenty of companies who are willing to train and employ new drivers. Second of all, driver shortage mean that there are not enough drivers who would compete for jobs and drive the driver pay down. I don’t see empty shelves yet.
And lastly, start treating drivers like humans. would you be willing to do what you currently do, with mandated GPS up your ass, the mandatory sleeping mask for diseases that are not even fully researched yet, cameras in your face and so on. Stop the communism.
MrYowler says
It’s worth noting that organizations like the ATA represent large carriers, not drivers. Every subsidy described in the article puts money in the pockets of these carriers. It’s not really about filling empty driver’s seats; it’s about stuffing corporate bank accounts.
Marcel Dunant says
Has anybody thought where they will be able to park all those drivers for a 10 hour break
sam gray says
In Ohio?
Rick says
There won’t be 900,000 more trucks on the roads. The 900,000 new drivers needed over the next 10 years are only to replace the 900,000 drivers who will get out of trucking altogether over the next ten years.
Mark F says
Getting new drivers wouldn’t be a concern if there was better care for the current ones. More respect and a little more pay from the trucking companies, more access to parking and stop messing with hours of service.
Bill Shaughnessy says
Where are the jobs that pay very well and have Great benefits ! If they existed there wouldn’t be a shortage!
Scott McFarland says
Driver Shortage,
The trucking industry for a very long time has abused drivers. This abuse has led to the current driver shortage. I have been in the trucking industry for more than 25 years and it is very plain to me that the industry should make some changes to retain and bring back drivers that are already trained.
If the trucking companies want more drivers that are qualified, then the trucking companies need to learn to treat drivers like individual people than another piece of equipment!
Abuse in the industry,
Companies generally see drivers as equipment that they often either push past the breaking point by either requiring too much or not enough of them.
Parking, the industry (nationwide) does not provide adequate parking for the current trucks on the road which causes undue stress for the average drivers.
(D.O.T) The Department of Transportation and (FMCSA) The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are doing their best to create rules and regulations that the average driver cannot understand much less comply with. These organizations appear to be more interested in reducing the amount of qualified drivers and instilling fear and dread with-in those drivers than protecting the general public.
Drivers Pay,
Drivers pay appears to be ample until one studies the costs of living away from home. The food costs from eating at restaurants are very expensive. One of the major reasons for this is because the drivers are basically held hostage because of the size of their vehicle to mostly eat at various truck stops. These truck stops are and have been increasing the prices of their products (food and other necessities) substantially over the past few years. Example, a cheeseburger and fries w/ drink $9-10, Breakfast buffet $9.69, Lunch buffet $10.69, Dinner buffet $10.69-14.99 don’t forget the waitress she wants $2+ each time the driver visits.
Shopping,
One of the most popular place for a driver to shop for groceries and necessities is Wal-Mart, generally because they have the bigger parking lots. Many of the Wal-Marts over time has determined that they do not wish for truck drivers to park on their premises. Because of this drivers are not as easily able to access groceries and necessities to carry in their truck and are being forced to eat at truck stops.
Drivers have a high demand or drain on their pay. Personal necessities, food, clothing, footwear. Government, taxes, tickets, fines, Healthcare requirements. Spouse and children’s needs, often divorce and the requirements of meeting those demands are often financially strenuous. Point being, drivers appear to make lots of money but drivers often have tremendous expenses that are brought about from not being home daily.
Training 18-20 year olds,
Putting 18-20 year old guys in an over-the-road truck is just asking for trouble. 18-20 year old guys are generally not mature enough to handle the responsibility. In fact, it is apparent with a little observation that a lot of the current drivers are not mature enough to handle the responsibility.
Tax Incentives for Training,
The majority of the trucking companies have programs set up for training drivers. I feel that 3 million dollars of taxpayer money should not go to any of the trucking companies. If they want drivers, then they should have the incentive to train them. If not, then the company’s should quit complaining and move on! Quit Draining the taxpayers…..
Martin E Neltner says
Excellent accurate and true
Trucks are treated better than drivers
Shortage of adequate parking reflected in the # trucks park on the side of the freeway illegally I might add
Robert j Tallman says
Couldn’t had said it better
Jeanne Berg says
I agree with everything u said except the 18-20 are in state only. If 18-20 yr olds are allowed to get licenses it should be like father teaching son or something like that. Someone who is gonna be watching them all the time and take accountablity for them. Some 18yr olds are more mature than some of these drivers on the road now. Being a bunch of antisocial gamer nerds sets them up for the lonely life of trucking except for the fact that they dont turn the games off long enough to sleep properly.
David T McKinley says
I understand and appreciate your thoughts on 18-20 yr olds behind the wheel…but if you let that 1 do it that is more mature than his years, you have to allow them all to do it. You can’t discriminate against immaturity. Age…if 1 can…they all can.
I started at 18…but that was in Vietnam and CDLs weren’t required when I came home.
And the law does allow for military experience now. Just not sure to what degree.
I just want the respect back. The young folks out here today have zero respect for themselves, much less anybody else. (Disclaimer: Not all young folks are disrespectful)
RanjitDhillon says
Well said..
Spyder says
Well said!
Spencer Cobb says
Very well stated. I have been driving for only 2 years but I do agree with what has been said here.
Robert G says
The 18-20 year olds are intrastate only. Not Interstate.
Even so I totally agree with everything you articulated.
Jerry says
There is no driver shortage, only a shortage of guys willing to work double the hours of most jobs for half the pay. I have been driving for 30 years and I know how to keep seats in a company 100% full. Pay better then everyone else! No one leaves a company where they are payed really well. Even the companies that don’t treat their drivers well keep their drivers if the drivers have to take a huge pay cut to work somewhere else. I have worked for companies with crap trucks, stupid dispatchers, horrible hours, and poor working conditions….but almost 4k every 2 weeks after taxes take home. Speaking for myself I can put up with a lot of crap for 8k a month take home lol
Jerry says
More hype!!! They just won’t admit that they caused their own so called shortage. Also we do many things that most people in the work world get paid for. ….lol…carry on you fools in suits in ties…lmbo
B'rit Hadashah says
Driver shortage? If there’s a driver shortage then why are the truck stops full at noon with drivers looking for loads. There can not be a driver shortage and load shortage at the same time.
Martin E Neltner says
The training programs need attention. 160 hours of time. 40 hours of classroom and then if you are lucky out of 120 you are driving 13 to 20 hours because you share the truck with two other students. Look at first time pass rate. Very low due to testing requirements and lack of training.
John says
I’m a long haul driver since 1987 and what I see now (the rules and bad 4 wheel drivers) makes me not want to do this anymore.
Good job FMCSA making experienced drivers want to quit the trucking industry.
RaginBull69 says
I’ve been driving for 14 yrs now and yes even i want to quit the industry.. i’m tire of the b.s. I will give 1 example as of to why….. i had an accident back in 2015 where a lady cut in front on me and hit my truck…. come to find out she was driving illegally on a suspended license. The accident was no fault of my own but the company (JB HUNT) that i worked for did it’s own investigation and determined that this was a preventable accident on my behalf. Now i got this accident on my record and on my background record so that everytime i go to apply for another job, other companies see that accident as my fault. well some comapnies have been passing on my application because of that and it’s been hard finding another job!! Most 3rd party companies have too much rules and yet pay only $40,000 a yr or less to start. That’s $500 or less a week for having to work at maximum 70 hrs with no overtime pay!! I’ve worked 12 to 14 hrs a day for 6 days a week with only 1 day off and when taking a 10 hr break… it only felt like a 7 hr break really. Dealing with traffic to and from work killed hrs on that 10 hr break! By the time i got home to relax, i only had enough time to shower, eat dinner, and then off to bed! start all over again by 4am in the morning!! For so much work to put in for a $500 check is not worth it. $40,000 a yr is too low and they only give you half a cent raise every year making it longer to recieve top pay!! $65,000 a yr should be starting pay for all companies in the trucking industry!!
MrYowler says
Check your math… $40,000 annually works out to $769.23 weekly (gross). Valid points, otherwise.
Brad says
After taxes and insurance etc… $400 is realistic. I worked for TMC a while back $500 was a good week on take home.
Nicole says
Big companies seem to think that just because they have trucks sitting, there’s a driver shortage. In my opinion, there’s an overabundance of trucks. The real shortage is of freight. The trucks out there far outnumber the number of loads available, pushing rates down. As it stands, we’re forced to haul cheap freight just to stay in business. I realize that If drivers would band together to boycott low rates it would make a difference, but the reality is that’s never going to happen. If there was a shortage of trucks, rates might get back up to where they should be.
William Johnson says
There has never been a shortage of freight there has been a shortage of quality freight however. I go back a long way in this industry, back in the late 70”s freight was over $2 a mile. Trucks were under 40 grand. Fuel $1 a gallon. If it wasn’t for the fuel surcharge all of these leased owner operators trucks none of their freight approaches $1 a mile. Then go get you a meal, maybe a motel for a midweek break and your in the hole.
sam gray says
This comment is pretty close to reality. Just one comment, looking at a $959.00 a week truck payment doesn’t leave motel money and little food money. C.R. England let you have $100.00 for 7 days.
MARK MILES says
That’s what I’ve been saying. There aren’t too few drivers, there are just companies with too many trucks.
Jerry says
You can’t get 3 truckers together to agree on the time of day never mind a freight embargo. When anyone talks about reducing the amount of trucks on the road they are talking about everyone else not themselves.
To keep busy a trucking company needs to underbid other companies, to do this they need to low ball their drivers pay lower then the competition. It will never change until a significant number of drivers leave the industry.
Brown mat says
If 18-21 year olds can serve in military then they can drive truck. There is nothing sophisticated about driving truck, all you have to do is get to point A to B safely and less costly. There are immature people regardless of their age. Some of this young guys are very smart and tough they don’t even whine and complain they just get the job done.
Curt says
Brown mat’ you sound like a broker who isn’t content with 40% that seem’s to be the norm thease day’s
or a part of the ATA, whatever’ It comes down to the lack of protection we have come to expect from our government’
Its apparent that we have been sold out for a long time now and thats all there is to It’ revolution is whats needed ask Bernie Sanders.
MrYowler says
It’s bad policy. That some can handle it does not mean that they all can – or even a significant minority. Also, military training is designed to instill the necessary discipline in those young people. There is some question as to whether or not modern training is adequate, in this regard, but trucking companies would not be allowed to implement the kind of rigorous training that the military must, in order to teach the required discipline – and they would not want to, even if they’ll were allowed. They don’t even provide adequate training in the operation of the equipment, to new drivers, now. It’s bad policy, and the insurance companies are the first to recognize that, as the people whose job it is, ultimately, to gauge the risk involved.
Richard Gaskill says
Veterans shouldn’t even consider the trucking industry. They deserve better.
frank howdeshell says
There is no driver shortage. Look how many leave for good due to lack of support from the employers. Just a lack of ppl willing to accept that level of mistreatment with no pay increases since the 90’s
Drake says
I been trucking sense I was 22 so a good 10 years if you put to account the hours your in a truck it comes down to crap. Let’s say your regional or dedicated and make 1000.00 a week in the truck driving 70 hours a week so now that’s $14.00 hr plus paperwork now and dropping and hooking trailers weighing that’s another say 1-2 hours a day off the clock. So your looking at 90 hours a week and if your lucky enough to get a home reset 34 hours now by time your rested it’s time go back out over road truckers have it worse who would want run all those hours for no money specially running elogs now no money and your life for nothing. Makes me want get out the industry.
Big Cajun says
MAN do these guys lie. I simply can’t believe how much those big companies and the ATA are able to get in there and literally just pull stuff from their rears. They keep saying stuff like “technology is the only way to improve safety and promote driver recruitment”.
Hey, NEWSFLASH: NO IT ISN’T. Stop treating people like garbage, over working them, under paying them, lying to them when you recruit them, exploiting them when they’re on the road, keeping them away from their families for months on end, and putting theirs and everyone else’s lives in danger with those 64mph trucks.
You’d solve 90% of the issues right there. For the love of integrity, won’t somebody please call these s.o.b.s. on their b.s. The stench of it has become unbearable.
old man says
Used to be trucking was a lifestyle. He was the captain of his own ship. Nowadays he is shackled and chained by all the rules and regs that render him nothing more than a tool. Young people coming into the industry really have very little idea of what trucking intails and get out of it quickly. Used to be if you could stick with it for six months you’d make it as a trucker. Maybe the ATA is a little worried that if manufacturing jobs start returning and the illegals are moved out, wages that were low now have to rise creating a drain on the trucking industry. Who wants to live in a truck when he can make the same money and go home each night?
Steve P says
With the threat of autonomous trucks looming in the not so distant future, I would not advise a 21 year old to choose trucking as a career.
MARK MILES says
There’s never going to be such a thing as driverless trucks.
MrYowler says
No. There will be remotely-operated trucks, that run autonomously, on the highway. One Pakistani driver will run 20 trucks at a time, with a virtual reality headset and cameras on the truck. He’ll dock it, and drive it to the freeway, and then move on to the next truck while that one drives itself to the next state. And he will manage all 20 trucks for $0.50/hr, and be thrilled for the opportunity.
What we do is only made complicated by regulations that will not apply to that Pakistani driver or the autonomous trucks that he manages. Eliminate the artificial complexity, put in automatic transmissions, and set them up to drive like trains, and your average squirrel can do this job, if you can hold his attention to it.
Nicolas D. says
“These are jobs that pay very well, have great benefits”
Hahaha, good one. I didn’t know the ATA hired former stand-up comedians.
When you add up all the hours spent over the road far from home and look at the paycheck, we barely get minimum wage and we destroy our health doing so.
Robert G says
Excellent point. Most drivers never divide their paycheck by the hours spent being responsible for truck and freight.
And when we sit at shippers, consignees and terminals unpaid. It is the same as slavery.
Joe says
Great paying job? These idiots think 25 cents an hour is great pay? I’m out there 168 hrs a week… Wheels don’t turn we don’t get paid…Do the real math
John F says
Lets see all the stupid that has taken over the truck industry:
Cameras in trucks staring at your crotch.
GPS tracking and listening devices in your trucks also.
Going from 8 days on average on the road and 2 days at home to now 15 days on the road and 34 hours at home.
Being pushed to run 14 hours no matter the weather, traffic or road conditions.
The harassment by cops over off ramping stops and parking places that used to be OK to stop at.
Industry pay thats 21% under inflation.
Insurance companies scamming small companies.
62.8 mph Governed ZOMBIE TRUCKS that hypnotize drivers and put them on the road 23 extra days a year in unpaid miles value.
Garbage China and Mexican parts in the trucks now that put you on the side of the road stranded.
Snowflake pampered child like adults who will not work at all.
50% of the country on some sort of welfare.
Green card toting CDL drivers with massive grants and entitlements from OUR tax dollars to compete with.
After 31 years with a 100% perfect record, all I will do after December 2017 is run a local truck. The system can go screw itself.
I don’t know, you think things can get worse, just watch.
George says
ATA and Mega’s = GREED
Joseph Ondiek says
Many drivers are out there with minor violations, Trucking profession is dangerous and can easily damage your carrier in the long run if insurance companies will have their way of rejection of potential drivers with minor violations
Ron says
Like the state of Ohio really cares about truck drivers. Then why did the state of Ohio take away my Michigan CDL? For an Ohio state employee’s negligence covered up. It’s called favoritism by the Ohio Highway Patrol, and the Ohio newspapers helping them by only telling one side, and not what really happened.
Daris says
There is no trucker shortage..there is shortage of pay and benefits..over regulation laws against truckers…
jeremy says
I aquired my commercial drivers license in Sept 1996. Economy was booming and the industries Achilles heal was ‘driver shortage’. 19 yrs past and I had enough and left the industry. To many reasons to list here as to why I left. Over 20 yrs later, ‘driver shortage’. Bureaucratic boneheads will never get this right. I thought their last brilliant idea involved autonomous trucks as the solution? This has always been and still is a pathetic joke. I’m done with it and have left it behind. Keep bumbling away, you inept, incompetent boneheads!
deaconblues62 says
People want to find a job where they feed themselves and their families, Driving a Truck you feed everyone BUT you and your family, of course if you still have one.
The recruiters do a good job selling crap and a blue skyy.
I personally would love to see a driver shortage; let’s me know I can get back into the regular world b/c the economy is good!!!
Who wants a trucking job where you feed everyone but yourself?
A fool that’s who.
Dennis sell says
I hear you all but I have a question what are we going to do? When are we going to get the guts take are truck back to Washington and shut them down. Maybe after 72hrs and the country is shut down someone will listen. There has been talk in the last 40years to do that but we do nothing we are like sheep we just let company and the government lead use down this road . United brother and sisters and they will have no choice.
CA-FL says
You are right. You thinking as the French truckers. The French trucking companies scared. Because, when the French truckers strike with the French Union, the French Gov help the truckers et the Trucking companies obey to the Gov.
All in the world, the truckers are VERY IMPORTANT.
Only one small week stop… Result: No food, no gas, empty hypermarkets…
The dispatchers are bad peoples: They thinking they are the God, and all truckers obey. The dispatchers don’t care, they sleep everyday in them house.
You work, you pay the mortgage, and you NEVER enjoy your HOUSE, your FAMILY, your CAR, VACATIONS (in FRANCE 1 MONTH/YEAR FOR EVERY ONE) etc…
Open your mind, your eyes, you are not slaves. The slavery stopped 300 year ago. WE MUST FIGHT FOR OUR HUMAN RIGHTS
Curt Scisons says
Maybe we should consider spending money to keep the experienced drivers we already HAVE? Just a thought
MrNA says
Driver shortage ? No.
Pay Shortage ? Yes.
I Don’t believe it takes a politician or Mega carrier to figure the solution. They want you to believe their “logisitic B.S.” Don’t do it. Say No To Cheap Freight.
Scott says
Does anybody think about paying a better wage. Pay is awful.
CA-FL says
I am a former French truck driver. I worked as American truck driver on 11 months and 5 different American companies. All its liars and buyers of slaves.
I have never seen that in France.
The truck drivers are united and strike for the government to solve their problems.
Here too many problems, of sacrifice for a country of misery.
I love driving. I am sad to see this in such a great and beautiful country.
– Companies that require you to work with a mentor, during the first month, as a team (24hrs truck move) … It is impossible to sleep like a human. The mentor who sleeps next to you, when you drive! Is it safe? !!!
Companies treat you like cattle.
You do not see that you are important to the country.
If you stop a small week: Result, there will be nothing more in the hypermarkets, more gas at the pumps. You must wake up.
They should not treat you like that.
The DOT, and the scales on the highways must be on your side.
They need to know your problems. Talk to the media (tv, newspapers).
There must be independent unions in its big companies that are growing bigger and bigger, thanks to your hard job.
You give your life for the company, with thanks: zero.
The driver manager takes himself for god. They speak without respect.
If one has an important appointment, and even if we warned the father (f.c.ing Dispatcher) a month in advance, he will send you to the other end of the country.
For example, I live in Georgia, and I am asking to drive the southern US (CA to Fl) winter time because I have an immune bad. And everyone knows, we can not drive by taking medication … Result: I get loads of requests for OTR (Chicago, NY, etc …) They are too stupid to understand. They do not give a damn.
That must change.
Richard Gaskill says
Don’t waste money funding tractor trailer training when most new drivers don’t last a year. Read the carriers’ annual reports. Werner hasn’t increased their fleet size in over 3 years but they brag about how many thousands of veterans they have hired. No doubt they have hired even more that aren’t veterans.
This is proof that some trucks have 3 or 4 new drivers quit each year.
Mike says
The trucking pay sucks!! I’m a trucker and it’s not for everyone to work over the road for weeks at a time. If truckers made awesome money im sure alot of people would apply for the opportunity.most new drivers quit 3-6months of trucking because of the minumin wage at 34-37 cpm avg 1800 miles per wk. Companies lie and promise 3k miles per wk.
Ricky Byrd says
Bull! Driving jobs have already been offshored. Just take a look at the driver’s seat.
Steve says
This drives me nuts.
THERE IS NO DRIVER SHORTAGE.
If anything there is an over abundance of drivers. What there actually is, is a shortage of drivers such as myself. All I do is drive. I do not stop except for 10 hour breaks and breakdowns. I live in the truck – literally. They want slaves, somebody willing to completely give up their normal life to earn a pittance.
I am unusual as this life suits me but it is not for everyone. That is borne out by the high turn over or folks who just quit.
No driver shortage that is a euphemism for “we need people we can use until they wise up”. Hire 1000 and 1 will stick 10 years.
Totally misleading
Super trucker says
If you never teach the next generation how will they ever learn. The reason the age law exist is to encourage youth to go through sub standard post highschool education that does nothing but put them in debt and no further along then when they started if your 18 living with mommy and daddy then what difference does it make if your 24 living with mommy and daddy or 30 it’s the same. I rather train an 18 year old punk that will develop respect for his career because he will see that he can buy his own things. then deal with some techie who gets laid off and decides hey I can get an automatic tractor and run everything over.
Robert Bennett says
A lot of good comments here. I especially like the phrase “driver shortage isn’t the problem, driver turnover is the problem” !!
Robert Bennett says
Obviously the focus of this article is on recruiting new drivers and not retaining experienced drivers,, that’s one of the problems with the industry