As online shopping has increased in popularity, the demand for truck drivers has been directly impacted. Trucking companies have been struggling to get truck drivers behind the wheel to keep up with the demand — the shortage of available drivers is a pressing issue.
What Is Causing the Truck Driver Shortage?
According to Simplex Group, there are many causes behind the truck driver shortage. An aging workforce of truckers, the heavy demands of this profession, and wages are the biggest issues that are causing a lack of available truckers.
Aging Truckers
Many truck drivers are now approaching the age of retirement. However, the industry is struggling to make this career appeal to the younger generations. Truck drivers also tend to be predominantly male with very few women, further narrowing the available pool of potential drivers to replace those who are retiring from this profession.
Demanding Trucking Lifestyle
Driving a truck requires long hours on the road. Along with being away from home and unpredictable schedules, it’s harder to find new truck drivers who want this kind of lifestyle. Truck drivers must be on the road for weeks at a time. They sleep in their trucks, usually for as much as 70 hours per week. They may have no say in what they are hauling or where they must transport their freight.
Policies from trucking companies may be adding even more to the demands of a truck driver’s already exhausting schedule. As today’s workers become disenchanted with this type of lifestyle that lacks a work-life balance, it has led to poor retention rates for truck drivers, further contributing to the shortage.
Stagnant Wages
To bring in new truck drivers to prevent labor shortages, wages and benefits have increased. Unfortunately, these wages haven’t accounted for inflation. With the industry standard of paying per mile into the hours devoted to the job — which includes all that time away from home as well as sleeping in the truck — they’re making very little for their efforts. As people move into the workforce, they are seeking other jobs that don’t keep them away from home or working as hard for the same hourly rate.
High Employee Turnover Rates
The trucking industry in the U.S. has one of the highest turnover rates of any industry. Many new truck drivers leave the industry within one year of starting, largely due to the demands of the job and the pay. This means that trucking companies are constantly seeking new recruits. Once in position, these new truck drivers burn out quickly, continuing the cycle of turnover.
What Can Be Done to Fix the Truck Driver Shortage?
The trucking industry will continue to have driver shortages as the demand for goods and efficient deliveries keeps rising. However, there are certain steps they can take to help mitigate the lack of available truck drivers.
Offer Better Pay and Benefits
Driving a truck provides a way to travel and see the country. For a young person starting out in the workforce, this can be far more appealing if the wages are competitive and come with better benefits and rewards. More people would consider a career as a truck driver if they got more out of it, and surely more truck drivers would continue until the age of retirement if they were getting what they deserve for this job.
Provide More Balance for Work and Life
Unpredictable schedules have made it hard for truck drivers to maintain a work-life balance that is found in other professions. If rules are established to help support this, it can make trucking a more appealing job for younger people entering the workforce.
Incentives for Recruiting and Training New Truckers
It may take more investments into recruitment programs to help attract more candidates in the trucking industry. Younger people and women need to see how this can be a fulfilling career through recruitment measures. Additionally, training programs are often expensive. If these are made more affordable, especially for getting a CDL, it may make it easier for new truck drivers to enter the industry.
Reforms in Regulations
Many of the rules in place are there for safety. However, simplifying some points may make the administrative tasks that come with them a bit easier. The job of driving a truck may be more attractive with reforms that appeal to a broader base.
Bringing in More Technology
New technologies have the potential to make driving better for truckers. These technologies can optimize routes, manage administrative needs, and make operations far more efficient. Additionally, automation may help bridge the gap between a lack of truck drivers to get the job done, making the industry less reliant on human beings for this job.
