Truck shortage

they aren't "short" on trucks, its just they have to find available ones at the various terminals...some are in the process of being detailed and cleaned up...others are getting caught up in maintence...my first truck was sold when I was assigned to it and I had to drop it in Marshfield...then i went and got my current truck in New Jersey that a driver had abandoned... they have all sorts of trucks its just takes time to get them ready... and find out what ones are available and where they are located...I have picked up a driver in atlanta to take him to his truck in Gary..

 

FYI they are also in the process of getting NEW trucks too, Roehl is working on turning over the fleet right now too so thats where the shortage is probably coming from...they have trucks scattered everywhere and trying to get the old ones out of the fleet and most of those have drivers...

 

In 2008/09/2010 truck manufacturers slowed production way...WAY....down.
This means less trucks were brought from dealers.
This means less was traded in.
This means less inventory for dealers. Thus more dealers starved.
That means dealers are buying up all kinds of trucks to have any kind of inventory and paying stupid money for them. SO they can sell them and sometimes not even make money off the truck but off the warrnty and the intrest the tac on to the loan they sold you.
That means customers pay crazy money for trucks/interest rates cause supply is limited and choices are few.
The whole car business is going thru this also. Banks are loaning more than wholesale book on cars they wouldn't give you 80% of wholesale 5 years ago. Even they had to revise their numbers to deal with the market.

Bottom line is inventory is low. Companies are scared to buy new trucks. Running the ones the have into the ground.
Then you throw CSA in the equation and what they are doing...closing up all kinds of fly by night companies that brought rates down.
That means less cheap freight haulers on the road. That means better rates starting next spring. That means more guys who got cash buying good used trucks and rolling the dice. But learing that cheap freight doesn't pay bills and don't fix your truck. So they are holding fast at reasonable rates.

This comes from me spending the last 11 years in and out of the car business as a dealer and the trucking business and a driver...
So truth be told its all speculation. LOL

Don't listen to me. LOL

 

don't fret he will get a truck.... even if the truck is sold (which really means its been traded in or going to the auction block when available) ...they will have him run around in it for weeks until they get a non "sold" truck

BTW most fleet trucks are built to order...so they take time to build...

 

Stop classes ? . I agree . They should .These training companies don't have too few trucks . They have too few wannabes . They hire more than they need because they know most will quit within a few months . Somebody will quit within the next few weeks then hubby will have a truck .

 

I think your husbands company has a good enough reputaion that the delay will not be too long...
Just remember, tell him DO NOT LEASES A TRUCK, even if he is told it will get you driving today, rather than waiting a week..
A newbie does not need to lease...i don't think your hubbys company playes that game, but some do.
At my company they are buy trucks as fast as they can...trying to make up for several years of not buying equipment due to both the economy and waiting for the emissions systems on nwer trucks to get worked out....but most copmanies are doing the same...so new deliveries can run late...older trucks are getting sold as they hit majic spots in their service history that raises flags that say sell me.....so be patient .

 

there are another 100 new ones coming in... i see several at mid state and some getting stickered. alos 500 on order for 2012