A Cleveland-based startup has decided to tackle the supply chain trucker shortage head on – they’ve created a “matchmaking site” for truckers and jobs. The software company Drive My Way “lets drivers create profiles where they describe what they’re looking for in a working relationship. And then the algorithm finds employers that can meet their wants and needs.” If it can work for popular dating websites, why not for the trucking job market as well? Read more…
Numbers of drivers continue to decrease as the labor crisis in the trucking industry worsens. According to payroll data from the U.S. Labor Department, “the trucking sector lost 11,400 jobs month-over-month in September. That’s the largest decrease since April 2009.” With the average age of applicants too close to retirement, and a general lack of over-the-road drivers, there’s no immediate respite for the industry in sight. Read more…
With the availability of truck parking being a massive concern for drivers, Secretary Buttigieg spoke directly to truckers on the issue. The American Trucking Associations and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to the Department of Transportation earlier this year “citing that 98% percent of drivers report problems finding safe parking, costing drivers more than 56 minutes of drive-time to find parking. The wasted time is estimated to cause a $5,500 loss in annual compensation – roughly a 12% pay cut.” Read more…
Amazon.com Inc., has decided to cut down the size of its massive delivery operation amid slowing sales growth, and has abandoned many existing and planned facilities around the country: “MWPVL International Inc., which tracks Amazon’s real-estate footprint, estimates the company has either shuttered or killed plans to open 42 facilities totaling almost 25 million square feet of usable space. The company has delayed opening an additional 21 locations, totaling nearly 28 million square feet, according to MWPVL. The e-commerce giant also has canceled a handful of European projects, mostly in Spain, the firm said.” Read more…
Bridgestone Americas announced a massive expansion and modernization of its Warren County, Tennessee Truck and Bus Radial Tire Plant located in Morrison. Bridgestone plans to invest $550 million dollars into the project which “will add 380 new jobs and expand the plant’s existing footprint by 850,000 square feet to support increased capacity and to accelerate the use of advanced technologies that support cleaner, safer and more efficient commercial truck and bus fleets.” Read more…
The latest round of grant funding from Northern Illinois Community Initiatives will help disadvantaged business owners, including those in the logistics sector. NICI, the nonprofit founded by natural gas distributor Nicor Gas, announced “three Impact Grant awards worth $100,000 each to nonprofit organizations serving Rockford, Harvey, south and west suburban Cook County and Will County. The grants, created to provide bridge funding for economic and workforce development, and community revitalization programs, builds upon NICI’s mission to attract investment, mobilize partners, and connect vital resources to underserved communities in Nicor Gas’ service areas.” Read more…
More logistic jobs will be coming to Maine as Governor Janet Mills announced “nearly $20 million in grant awards through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to help Maine farmers and food processors address infrastructure needs to expand in-state production and processing.” These funds will help farmers “increase the supply of Maine-grown food, meet growing demand, create and sustain jobs in one of Maine’s iconic heritage industries.” Read more…
Pet Supplies Plus, a leading, full-service pet retail company, plans to establish a new distribution center in Orangeburg County with a $53 million investment that will create 275 new jobs, including “highly desirable logistic jobs.” Created in 1988, “Pet Supplies Plus, a subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc., is one of the largest pet retail franchises in the United States, offering customers a wide assortment of natural pet foods, goods and services. Located in 40 states, Pet Supplies Plus has more than 630 stores, the majority of which are independently owned and operated by franchisees.” Read more…
Goodwill of Southeast Georgia and Savannah Technical College will be offering a new virtual reality pilot program that will help applicants that are interested in learning manufacturing and forklifting skills. The certification courses will be taught in a hybrid format with the goal of providing students with innovative, hands-on classroom training. These virtual reality training courses “will allow the college to increase its logistics and manufacturing class sizes from 15 students to around 92.” Read more…
Teresa Maki, owner of T Enterprises, a Pasco private trucking school certified in Commercial Driving License (CDL) training by the state Department of Licensing, exclaims that the trucking industry has exploded and enrollment in her school has nearly doubled since 2020. Maki goes on to claim that “employers hiring new drivers have increased significantly. Before, they could easily find someone with a little bit more experience, but now they just can’t find enough drivers.” Read more…
