The Driver Shortage is a huge lie.

Driving since 2008 no reportable accidents or speeding. XT endorsement.
.43 cpm.

 

First of all, I only private messaged people who advertised for people to message them or who asked me to. Second, the reason I could not hire someone is becuse of the outrageous requests/requirements these people are looking for. I didnt tell them what they wanted to hear and because of that they didn't want to be bothered.

Also I posted my job offer here too. You could easily find out instead of being wise ###.

 

Ok bub. Look I’m not out to get you. I don’t care what you do. I just don’t understand why your words completely contradict your conclusion which was no driver shortage.

Let me give insight....

2009: I didn’t know my rear end from a hole in the ground when it came to drivers or what was what. I ran an ad looking for a driver at 15/hr in 1 small news paper. I got literally 25+ calls.

2018: The newspaper plus CL plus Indeed and whether it’s 65k or 75k a year and home weekends, it doesn’t matter... ZERO calls.

THAT is the difference between a driver abundance and a driver shortage.

Look, I don’t need drivers. I’m not looking for drivers. I am here just to learn and inform my opinion to others. These are just my experiences. I’m not trying to lose my privileges here but I can’t let people talk nonsense either.

 

Well here I are. 587 miles from my earlier post, sitting in the driveway of my last drop.

52 minutes left on my drive time. The cats are worn out.

 

It does matter though. Yes it took me 6 months to find a driver, but that doesn't mean zero calls. I had people call and message. Some didn't fit with what I needed, others I didn't fit what they needed. You have guys on here who ask the world of the company and then complain when that company can't deliver. Too many people want something that doesn't exsist right now in trucking. There are tons of drivers looking for work, but they want it their way or the highway because they think there is a driver shortage. Meanwhile I hired a driver who fits with my company great and the guys who nit pick are still posting looking for jobs. That's why I don't really believe there is a driver shortage.

 

I understand a bit more where you are coming from even if I don’t agree.

It’s the reason why I stopped 75/yr ads and continued 65/yr ads because the results are the same. When you put that across a fleet the difference is massive.

The thing is your right a lot of requests or demands do seem and are many times are not realistic. However, if enough not realistic people become the majority then it therefore becomes realistic.

The same way 3/mi should be the new 2/mi. It’s not realistic until it is. Best believe I’m one of the companies pushing those boundaries and I can’t hate on drivers for pushing theirs.

Fact is that those guys would have no leg to stand on to push those boundaries if it wasn’t for them having the pick of the litter so to speak. It’s supply/demand. Same with me having no leg to stand on asking for 3 or 4/mi if peers are running for 2. Driver shortage and truck shortage is two completely different things.

I’m happy you found someone but when they leave in 3 or 4 months and it takes you another 6 months to rehire, you’ll be frustrated and likely screaming driver shortage!

After all these years I’m realizing that retention is key 100%. Retention has less to do with money and more to do with vacation where people can feel human. All the respect and pay in the world only goes so far if a guy feels like he’s a rat in a cage.

 

The profitable O/O keep their head down and work. We all had to start at the bottom somewhere. Some keep left door closed, some don't.

The driver pool has been flooded with very green drivers. Mostly due to retraining from a local employment agency. Draw blood or drive truck, guess what they pick.
With the mass introduction of automatic transmission semi trucks. The skill level has been dropped a ton. Wait till after the winter, sometime in April or May.
We may see marjor drop from ppl hanging up their keys.


So just time to watch the Carnage

 

The Megas are still finding chumps to drive for .32cpm. If there was a shortage these guys would be driving for decent companies making a good living. The company that we just left paid $1200 per week and had no problem getting drivers with many years of experience and the ability to get a security clearance with the hazmat endorsement. Pay is still way to low in this industry.

 

The cat shortage is a myth.