Finding drivers

Driver shortage ..... Anyone with a degree in economics would know the fallacy of this statement. It is actually the exact opposite. Driver excess not shortage. All freight that needs to get somewhere gets there. There is no problem in this industry anymore then there is a problem in any other industry that has high turnover.

 

Hiring drivers from overseas? You are part of the problem we have out here now. Sorry ######## don't have a clue how to drive. They are reckless as hell and are the most selfish inconsiderate ######## I have ever seen in a truck. If you are so ###### cheap that you have to resort to this sort of thing, maybe this is not the industry you need to be in. And before you ask, yes I have my own authority and I have 41 years out here and I am NOT impressed with the skill level of these new so-called "professional" drivers. ########!

 

Bud first of all get your facts straight yes while some foreign drivers are reckless so are many local drivers, the H2b worker program is approved by the US congress, for a company to be issued with H2b visas they must 1st prove to the Dept of Labour that they can not fill there demand for drivers if that is proven then the DOL will petition the Dept of Home land security for H2b visa's to be issued, each year there only 50,000 visa's issued and these are only temporary meaning for 12 months or less then the workers must return home. The drivers I'm talking about will be Aussies or Kiwi's who read, write and speak English perfectly that's why companies want them in the first place. 2nd i'm not actually doing this it was just an idea if anyone was interested.

 

@aussiejosh Those drivers would actually be over qualified compared to most home grown drivers here or shall we say what passes for "drivers"

 

As a similar, very small carrier (6 trucks, including 4 o/o, 2 employees), I wish I could afford benefits for at least the employees, but the cost of decent health insurance is prohibitive. I checked various group policies....it's less expensive for someone to get it on their own, it seems. So, while we have a unique pay plan where they get either mileage or percentage, whichever works out best for them in any given week, insurance - for now - is not feasible, though I'll keep looking. Health insurance is a national problem, not just in trucking.

 

Don't quit your day job as an economics professor. Want proof there's a driver shortage? Randomly contact 100 companies and ask them. They all told ME the same thing---We need drivers.
I'm a 65 year old driver in the state of Washington and I get no less than 2 driving offers a week. I'm don't think this is the result of there being a driver surplus. Perhaps it varies greatly from state-to-state so we're both right?

 

What would be your solution for having more qualified drivers?

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

Better working conditions and pay.

 

Having read this whole thread ,I whole heartedly agree that there is not a driver shortage due to a lack of willing people ,but the low pay most of the industry offers .
I started driving in 1986 and made then ,what some companies offer now.I must say it was a union company that paid overtime after 8 hours and there was plenty of work .
I have also worked in management for UPS as a Personnel Supervisor (They call it Human Resources today) ,and there was never a shortage of people wanting to work for UPS as a driver Why? Because they paid a living wage a person could support their family on and get to see that family.
I have since owned my own trucks,been in the restaurant supply industry,owned a couple of restaurants and had some successes and failures.Ive always stayed in trucking in one form of another and had side businesses along with it.
It truly is embarrassing to see what some companies will put in a truck today,but complain they can't find anyone better ,but offer disgraceful type pay that a clean cut,well spoken qualified ,true professional would not look twice at.
I see wages advertised on the back of trailer doors for company drivers and owner operators that are embarrassing and they proudly display it like it's a industry leading compensation.
The nursing industry had a shortage years ago because of low pay. Today the average RN is well compensated and their are no shortage of people trying to get into nursing schools.They have waiting lists of quality people trying to get in.
This post is not about Union or Non union,most Union jobs have been ruined also and are a former shell of what they once were. A UPS trailer driver (UPS parcel,not UPS freight )
is still a great job,hard to get in permanent ,and pretty strict on who they will hire,but a job you can retire from and have a good career.
I currently work for a trade show logistics company, but I run their construction demolition hauling end of the business which is about 90% of what I do for them. I work about an 11 hour day for $350 a day five days a week ,keep the truck at my farm,and I'm home everyday for dinner. I also buy and sell equipment and houses.I take care of my own health insurance and retirement ,and it works for me. I talk to the owner of the company maybe once or twice a month and when he needs me for a trade show he lets me know a few days in advance.its not perfect and sometimes there are bumps in the road but I feel I'm adequately compensated for what I do. I book all the work,do the billing,maintain the truck and he gets sent a check ,and He sends me mine .
i get job offers all the time ,and when I smile and tell them what I do and make ,they get quiet and say "Hell I'd stay there"Lol!
As far as foreign workers,yeah the industry is inundated with them . This helps to suppress wages and rates ,not all of them work cheap,some are pretty smart people and run pretty successful businesses . What many of them do have is the immigrant work ethic. The Fire in the belly hunger that our great grand parents had and very grateful for what they have ,and for any opportunity to work and make a living.
Sorry about the rambling post,just a few points I wanted to make on the "Driver Shortage"

 

UPS parcel (not UPS Freight!) is one of the 2 companies around me that I would try to get on with if I was ever looking for an employee job. Wal Mart would be the other.