Shortage of 50,000 truckers nationwide

If there was really such a shortage you'd see more signs of raises. but compared to the cost of living we have all seen that raises have been minimal, especially with the mega companies. Look at who is always hiring and then who rarely has to hire as they pay well and give great benefits like 2 weeks pto, fully paid health insurance for at least the driver .Then who always has drivers the well paying LTL companies, other drivers wait in line to get on with them or even work their docks for years to get a chance to be a driver there and the other burn you up thrown you to the coast companies lose drivers to them. But I;m happy to hear the other side of it. I'd love to hear how some feel the big comps have given raises over the past 10 years, and I have seen some of that end of last year even with swift but nothing that turns heads for people from other industries.

 

Until stores are low on supplies, and internet orders are late, no body will give a ####.

 

I don't think there are any carriers who are not struggling to find and keep good drivers. I don't care how good they pay or their other perks they may have.

If you're expanding, you need drivers. If you retain drivers for many decades, you're losing drivers to retirement. And there are many other reasons and ways to find yourself in need of a driver.

 

I've been wanting to hear details on the so called "retirement" that the recruiters talk about for a long time now, are you talking about social security , or the average 401k that most carriers offer ? Their average is 3% that they put in yes...?, if you base that on grossing 55k a year then after 20 years you have about 33,000. On 30 years you can retire on 49,500. That is .03x 55,000 then x 30 years. And how long will we live on that... no I dont know of a lot better, but we need to recognize and remind them that most are not in a hurry to retire on that.

 

Some guys have to "retire" because their decline in health demands it. Money [or lack thereof] is not a factor in this decision.

 

I cannot speak to driver wages, and I agree with what you stated. My rates are up right now, but who knows what they will be next week.

 

sorry if anybody posted this earlier:

America’s trucker shortage could undermine economy

"........As the nation grapples with a historically low level of unemployment, trucking companies are doing what economists have said firms need to do to attract and retain workers: They’re hiking pay significantly, offering bonuses and even recruiting people they previously wouldn’t have considered.

But it’s not working. The industry reports a growing labor shortage - 63,000 open positions this year, a number expected to more than double in coming years - that could have wide-ranging impacts on the American economy....." much much more------> America's trucker shortage could undermine economy

 

I heard someone say that it wont matter until people's orders from amazon are late or they cant find their groceries, guess who has one of the highest paying fleets......Walmart, I call them China mart, but they appear to take care of their truck drivers.
I recently saw an add for truckers with 3 years experience making 1500-1800 weekly and weekends off, guess who theyd be hauling for......yep Amazon. I think they will fill the spot. And keep them filled, those who take care of their drivers are taken care of and dont have shortages. I dont know the exact definition of a private fleet, but I know those two dont count as Megac's. Megac's rarely push their rates and seldom push for weekends off except for those close to terminals or flat bedding companies.

 

I know how to end the shortage.

It's so simple.

Let's get federal and state governments to come up with more rules to F with everyone.

 

Not gonna bunk up the thread; just listen to Coldplay, the Scientist. Really reminds me of usn's.