National Shortage of Drivers

[TruckingChannel]

A national shortage of drivers is affecting the transportation industry. Read about incentives Companies are offering and why people are Choosing not become drivers as a Career. 

Both large and small companies are facing a shortage of drivers all over the nation. The National Trucking Association estimates there is a shortage of 200,000 drivers nationally. Many find this surprising considering the unemployment rate is still at 8% for a national average. Large companies admit it has been difficult finding qualified drivers. Driver turnover reached 89% in 2011 according to the National Trucking Association. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 65,000 transportation jobs were added in the past year further adding to the shortage.

In order to encourage drivers to continue driving or enter the field  many companies are offering hiring bonuses and incentives. Some companies are still looking into increasing wages for drivers however this may result in an increase in cost of shipping.

Why a Shortage of Drivers?

Many drivers are reaching retirement age and not enough younger drivers are entering the industry. Plus, competition from other blue collar positions are attracting younger workers, being on the road for days is not an appealing career to everyone. The training to become a driver is only a month but it is costly averaging between $4,000 to $6,000. Some companies also offer new drivers reimbursement for training. Not all companies grant tuition reimbursement because new drivers have limited road experience and companies have safety concerns.

The biggest reason for a shortage of drivers is recent stringent safety rules. New federal regulations require individual drivers to publish their safety records. Since the safety records are now published many companies only higher drivers with impeccable driving records. The stricter standards also discourage potential recruits from entering the industry. The recently passed transportation bill may cause a larger shortage. All trucks will be required to have an onboard electronic recording device.

 

http://www.truckitsmart.com/latest-news/national_shortage_of_drivers

[TruckingChannel]

I agree and you made some good points about this.  Wish our economy would change for the better.

 

[Tami Paulus]

Its really not a surprise that the nation is facing a shortage of 200,000 drivers nationally and it is more likely that this shortage will increase further. One big reason behind this is truly what you mentioned "The strict standards" followed by companies to discourage drivers. Not all companies provide reimbursement for training to drivers, they believe in hiring experienced drivers and this is what also discourages young drivers with no experience. Its true that training to become a driver takes about a month but the fees for that is too much which really needs to be lowered if more people are to be encouraged to this career option.

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