While many truck drivers and economists no longer believe there is a truck driver shortage, there are many lawmakers in Washington who do. Recently, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona introduced a bill that would “do away with certain requirements for obtaining a commercial’s driver license.” There are lawmakers who believe such a law would help ease the purported shortage by “helping hardworking Americans and slashing costs for all.” Read more…
With the trucking industry in dire need of workers, high schools such as Williamsport High School are introducing trucking courses as part of a nationwide push to steer young drivers towards the industry. As the American Trucking Association “projects that trucking companies will need to hire nearly 1.2 million drivers over the next decade,” it is imperative that an aging workforce is supplemented with more youthful recruits, including teenagers. Read more…
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…
The Truckers Christmas group, an organization that helps to raise funds for truck drivers and their families in the United States and Canada for the holiday season, has begun its annual fundraising campaign. Since 2008, The Truckers Christmas Group has raised $150,000 and helped 244 families in need thanks to its sponsors and donations received.” Anonymous nominations can be made through December 17. Read more
After a week-long trial in Chicago, BNSF Railway Co. has been ordered to pay out hundreds of millions of dollars to truck drivers following a class action lawsuit alleging that the company violated Illinois privacy laws. Read more...
Due to the fact that many people are averse to stuffy, nine-to-five office jobs, many are drawn to the truck driving industry when choosing a career. But how much can one actually make as a truck driver? Though salaries will vary depending on many factors, “according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers’ annual mean wage in 2021 was $52,240 with full-time employment – but depending on the employer and role, truck driver salaries can be over $200,000 per year.” When you add to that the flexibility of hours and appeal of apprenticeships in lieu of expensive schooling, it’s easy to understand why truck drivers are one of the most in-demand jobs in the country. Read more…
Many economists and researchers have worried for years over the effects of automation on jobs, especially jobs “largely based on the performance of regular tasks at certain times or for specific situations.” While this may have come true for routine jobs, on the other hand, non-routine jobs – “ jobs comprised of tasks performed at irregular intervals and often executed in different ways dependent on the situation,” such as logistic positions – have exploded. 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…
Three counties in New York – Saratoga, Washington, and Warren – are doing all that they can to reverse the truck driver shortage trend and get more drivers behind the wheel. With an aging population of Baby Boomers nearing retirement, there’s an ongoing tri-county effort to promote available jobs for new, younger drivers, including offering to help these applicants with training and covering the costs associated. Read more…
