Is there really a trucker shortage?

No, there is no trucker shortage.It's an optical illusion.

Truckers are the same height they always were, they're just bigger around than they used to be so that makes them look shorter.

 

I agree with them not being able to complain. Working for someone else is always the issue. They control your future you don’t. They are reaping the rewards from their initial investment.

ya some companies care about their employees but only as far as they are cost effective. Nothing more.

 

To be honest, experienced drivers are worth a lot of money to companies. If you have four or five years worth of experience no tickets, no accidents, and good references, earning the money that you wanna earn is definitely possible… You have a bargaining chip when you fill out an application, but the companies also get the guys who barely have a year and a half experience and wanna be paid $1.80 a mile… Ha ha Keep your eyes focused on the road stay out of trouble when in three or four years when you start looking for a great company to work with you’ll be able to name your price within reason

 

There is no trucker shortage.

There is however a critical freight broker shortage.

 

Critical, is that like saying intelligent?

 

Did you work 70 hours a week in your other lines of work ?
and sleep in a truck, and “earn “ one day off for every week you work 70 hours and don’t get home ?

 

I agree

I know a guy that drives for a small company that advertises that it’s drivers earn $85k

he just finished his second year there and barely cracked $65k

he is home every weekend and gets two weeks vacation . The company offers health insurance but it’s so expensive you might as well find it elsewhere .

whenever I see an ad mentioning the earnings I automatically reduce it by half , because that’s what you’re actually going to earn,

 

There wouldn't be a driver shortage if the pay and benefits (mostly pay) were there.
Very few of these kids want to spend weeks on the road away from friends and family when they can make just as much or more working at Costco or wherever. Its expensive to live on the road and its not what it used to be.

If I could do it over again....... I wouldn't

 

I would probability do it again .
But back in the late 80s and early 90s when I was an owner op , it was like printing money.

If the wages had kept up , drivers would be making $125-150k now.

I do handyman work now , for a company , plumbing and electrical , and light auto repairs on the side for friends , radiators brakes install lift kits on pickups etc

I make $35 hr with benefits and a take home truck and set my own hours .
I get OT after 40 if I want to work it , which I don’t .

it would take a pile of money to get me to get treated like drivers get treated and be gone all the time .

 

I've worked 70 hrs per week prior to trucking; 2 full time jobs. Had I worked an entire year doing doing both of those jobs, it still don't compare. Trucking still paid more than both of those jobs combined, and it was 10 times harder on me. I'm not really sure where you're going with your question.