The truck driving industry’s “driver shortage” argument has been around for decades. Citing nine studies, The American Trucking Associations (ATA) says there has been a nonstop shortage since 1987, but researchers and industry experts argue “the labor market functions well when freight demand is strong. A December 2024 study by Professors Jonathan Phares, Jason Miller, and Stephen Burks, published by the Association for Supply Chain Management, shows carriers hire drivers when freight demand rises and reduce staff when it falls.”