Driver shortage

There isn't a shortage of drivers. There is a shortage of shippers willing to pay the rates necessary to move their freight on a timely basis. As long as there are trucking companies willing to haul very cheap freight, there will always be a mythical driver shortage.

 

I think the cheap freight thing is with a shortage of what is considered called a means testing for an authority. We have too many drivers working for too many cheap owners who are forcing the rates down, get rid of these crap cheap owners and tighten up the driver's pool, we will see rates rise to what they should be.

 

Mega carriers will always have many advantages over small trucking companies because of the discounts they get in all aspects of the business, Their cost per mile is probably down in the $.80 cent range compared to nearly $1,40 for a single truck or small fleet. When the economy is floundering, the mega's dominate the market because there are fewer loads to haul and they can charge a lot less to haul the smaller number of loads. So shippers are willing to wait a little longer for their freight to be picked up and delivered as long as they save money. Now with the economy picking up, there is a lot more freight than the mega's can handle, and small fleets are meeting the demand and flourishing.

Mega's pushed for small fleet compliance with ELD's hoping to drive many out of business and decrease their competition. It's not working, and O/O's are having the best year in decades.

 

This industry is the only one that does not follow normal business rules. As a basic supply and demand rule, if supply is short demand is high. When demand is high the cost will rise. Drivers rates have been basically flat for over 7 years. Won’t be long before they go up where they belong. I assume it’s just another bunch of politics getting in the way trying to keep things the way they were.

 

I also think that the Shortage refers to Qualified Drivers. There are a lot of people trying to get a truck and license but Carrier companies want professional and reliable Drivers to haul their freight. Not too many of those around!

 

It's shortage of money.

No one will pay me.. say 1.00 a company mile. No way.

But they will buy or lease three tractor trailers and pay three immigrants with brand new CDL's 30 cents in a heart beat and triple their revenue at the happy shipper in a heart beat.

It's about time I also add the opposite to shortage of money. Over excessive abuses of driver's time in some shippers.

Parking will always be difficult. What 9 million truckers want a spot to park tonight? HA not happening in certain parts of the USA.

But for giggles imagine if you took the western half of Kansas and western non missile fields of Nebraska and paved it. All of it.

you will not have enough parking for all the Nations trucks.

 

I want to see how the new import regulations play into this.

 

I think there was 25 people in my CDL class on the first day. 9 days later there is 12. We still have a couple weeks to go. People fail out, give up, do something stupid and get punted by the school etc. of the 12 remaining I think (I have no experience so don’t listen to me) I think there is 8 that might be employable. I’m working hard to make sure I’m one of them.

I could be wrong.