60,000 driver shortage in the USA

The US does not have a shortage of drivers. It has a shortage or steering wheel holding slaves. Increase the pay and implement a 40 hour week and there will be no more shortage of drivers. However, American consumers will need to pay more for everything as transport costs will double. Truck utilization will go down and therefore we will need double the trucks on the road.

I can see it now - relay drivers in every major city just driving 4 hour sectors and swapping rigs like the Greyhound bus drivers do

 

What company is paying experienced drivers 42cpm? Why does trucking only start and stop with Knight Refrigerated? You made so many references to them not hiring you back, makes me wonder if there is some saltiness.....

 

The pay isn't short if you're experienced. Experienced drivers can make 60k or better....that's good money. A driver can make a good living in most parts of the country on that pay. You can make 100k or better and we will still have the same conversation. The lifestyle of trucking ain't changing man. That's an empty calorie discussion. You are going to give up large chunks of your life to do this job. Giving up so much is why people don't stay. The pay ain't bad, but it's the fact that you can't sleep in your own bed, eat good food, and pursue "adult activities" with your wife or whichever woman on the regular. There are too many people that don't want to give up anything, but the reality of living in a society like America is, if you want bigger money, you gotta give up some of your life. If you want a life, it's a high probability that you'll have to give up some of the money. Very few people, if any, make big money in under 40 hrs a week. So whatever utopian lifestyle people think exists, it ain't reality.

 

I agree totally. I must be one of the few that prefer OTR to local. I had to commute to Nashville every day 5 and sometimes 6 days a week. That was really a 14 hr day because if have to leave the house at 3 thirty am to be there by 5 am. Many times I would not get back til 7 pm. That was taxing. While the days are long OTR, I don't have to commute..shortens the burden drastically. In my particular instance I didn't see where local was really better. When I had a day off, I was too tired to enjoy life lol.

 

Come on man........of course there are going to be parking shortages if a driver is solely reliant on a "corporate truck stop." I'm sitting at a PFJ in Springfield, MO. All of you know how big this truck stop is. Good majority are built that way. Of course there is a shortage of parking spots at a truck stop. As far as parking goes, I don't think there is a shortage. Parking has never been an issue for me, but I am not reliant on only truck stops for parking.

 

I'm an experienced driver and they paid me 42 CPM, who's fault is that? It's my fault because I accepted the job, case closed. I do have a unique circumstance, I vacation overseas when I'm not driving, so I'm not going to get the top penny job when I do come calling for a job, I know that and I'll live with that.

As they say, "There are a lot of fish in the sea.", so there is life after Knight. As for saltiness, it's their loss, I'll just drive for their competition. I was so used to sending in an application and they jump right on it, it was like being an MVP or rock star of sorts! They rolled out the red carpet, so to speak, they made it easy to transition back to them. I'm over it, I'll never drive for them again, just on principal. They were lucky to have me and that's the bottom line. Bold statement, but I stand by it. I got things done when they needed to be done. I can do better, and will, in the future, I have the determination and perseverance, of which they don't teach at any CDL school for the new generation of steering wheel holders.

 

Yes, I'd say that's a very bold statement. I can definitely appreciate your confidence. I'm sure subconsciously, we all feel like MVP players for our companies. It's a nice boost to the ego. The way they did you, even if you were the MVP, we are all just cogs in the wheel at the end of the day. They lose one, they gain another, and the show keeps going on.

 

OOIDA tells feds that driver shortage is a 'myth' created to maintain cheap labor supply

 

I think some of it depends on what area you are in. Here in Indy Dayton Freight was advertising $29.41 hour for local and 76cpm line haul. I work for a mail hauler. $28.10 hour plus the H&Wof $5.11 on 40. Both companies short about 20 drivers. RSR Quemetco here is at $30 per hour and short drivers.
Also this whole idea that all local jobs are 60-65 or 70 hours is just not true. My route is 49 hrs for 82K. I never work 6 days a week. We have 79 routes, 7 of which are over 60 hours.