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| The truck stop is full and there is a short supply of parking spaces so many are starting to charge for parking. What will the transportation industry do with our shortage of new drivers ? |
According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), there are about 25,000 unfilled truck driving jobs nationwide.
Freight volumes are expected to increase slightly this year which could create the need for even more drivers. The U.S. projections are that by the year 2020, we will need 330,000 new truck drivers.
Trucking carriers are stepping up their recruitment efforts by offering sign-on bonuses and some are even paying for truck driver school training.
Large shipping companies are looking to save money by moving their products through the “intermodal” transportation system. This allows costs to be cut by transporting more cargo while utilizing fewer resources. The (ATA) calculates intermodal growth to be 5.1 percent a year until 2018.
I like to look at the glass half full, therefore my take on the “driver shortage” is that drivers and carriers should applaud this situation. When you look at the factors of supply and demand, and the above future projections for our industry, we are in the driver’s seat. What I mean is that we finally have some leverage and control going into the future.
The issue of a “driver shortage” should put a smile on your face. As the demand for freight capacities increase, carriers look more favorably at pay increases as well. If trucking companies are smart, they will be finding ways to retain drivers.
The issue for carriers today isn’t necessarily quality of potential drivers knocking at their door for employment, it’s with quality. As drivers we need to be at the top of our game in preparing for the years to come. If you are a good driver with a professional attitude, appearance and good record, there is a high demand for you in the marketplace.
The shortage of skilled drivers who make the many sacrifice’s it takes to move freight across this great country, just may reap his/her reward in the years ahead.
If you think about it, the driver shortage can also be a benefit to the carriers as well. If there are not enough drivers to move the freight, this situation can put a carrier on higher ground when it comes to rate negotiations with their shipping customers.
If there is truly a “driver shortage” and not just driver churn, it should benefit everyone in the transportation industry based on the principles of supply and demand.