Why do many carriers have "waiting lists" for driving positions?

At Eagle in Hickory, NC: 76K a year, 401k, family health and dental, home every night and weekend. You just need 2+ years.

The problem: You're going in to gas stations daily; some you can't get in to during day because traffic-volume; people parking over tanks etc... Not impossible but every day dealing with people who can't believe working scum is expecting THEM to do something at some pace wears on you.. Some places you even got to hang the tractor out in the street; V-type intersections etc..

Oh yeah: You're driving a bomb in a country where you can accidently get a drivers license

 

Remember, when the economy just barely starts to kick back up, the very FIRST thing in demand before it’s even shown on economic indicators is freight. That means us. This is why a lot of companies will still try and hang onto their drivers even if they don’t have enough freight to keep them all busy. Because the minute the economy even thinks about turning back around the demand for freight escalates quickly and then they’ll be scrambling to find good drivers again.

if you already have a position that you can at least stand, I don’t suggest jumping ship and looking for something else right now. Unfortunately, looking at things around the world right now. Things are probably going to continue to slow even more for the time being. But once they turn back around, there will be jobs posted everywhere again with incentives etc.

 

Bingo. A handful of years ago a group of economists looked at the trucking industry driver shortage. Said basically there was too much equipment for the amount of freight. Even if the big companies could fill their trucks with drivers, they wouldn't be able to fill them with tonnage.

 

In Arkansas fuel haulers get paid in sonic coupons. There is a company in little Rock that they say the average weekly pay is 1000$ gross. A very high check would be 1500 gross. I talked to a driver who got in with a private company, he's been hauling fuel for nearly 20years and the only way he gets close to high 80s a year is with his bonuses. Some places fuel hauling is just a form of charity . Go up and ask a fuel hauler how much he makes , if he gives you the typical "enough to pay my bills and a roof over my head" that's slang for , might as well work at Western Express.

 

A recession will certainly cure the so called "driver shortage" thats for sure. however even when times are tough there will still be a driver turner over, although during tough times drivers knowing full well that it's hard to get another job may often think twice before quitting. Making it that much harder for those trying to get into the industry. There are still jobs out there you just may take a lot longer to land that job you want. If you knock on enough doors eventually one will open for you.

 

The biggest reason that I have experienced is due a shortage of trucks. A lot of companies are having difficulty with an availability of replacement trucks for old stock. My current company, for example, has more contracts freight than they have the capacity to carry currently because they just cannot get more trucks to be able to pull the trailers. We have people that want to work for us and we want to hire them but until we get more trucks everything will just have to wait.

Most recently we picked up three late model International LT trucks from Penske, but that's it. I've been waiting for 6 months as of now to get a new Kenworth T680, I am currently driving a 2018 T680 with over 700,000 miles and thankfully my company maintains the heck out of all the equipment to keep it going for as long as possible.

 

I’m skeptical. Trucks are available everywhere. One year old trucks for 120k and even lower at auction. Don’t believe everything you hear, especially when you can see truck lots full of equipment. Paccar financial’s Illinois lot is overfilled!

 

driver shortage as always been a scam. There's a lack of "quality" drivers, not actual drivers.

 

Wait... what? There's a waiting list for driving jobs now? This is the first I am hearing of this. I've been out of the loop. I haven't been told no on anything.

 

You'll know we've hit rock bottom when there's a waiting list for joining TransAm Lease Purchase