Posted on 02/21/2019 5:55:08 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Retailers are facing a shipping squeeze, and the trucking industry just can't keep up.
According to the American Trucking Associations, there's a shortage of roughly 50,000 truck drivers across the country. And it's hitting both businesses and consumers in the wallet.
Companies are complaining about how the driver shortage is impacting their business. Meanwhile, the cost of convenient shipping is starting to catch up with consumers.
Amazon recently hiked its Prime membership to $119 a year from $99 a year. The retail giant said one of the reasons for the price jump was increased shipping costs.
But the driver shortage isn't just because of demand created by online shopping. There's a lot going on behind the scenes, according to Bob Costello, chief economist at American Trucking Associations.
"We have a demographics problem, demand is strong, trucks haul over 70 percent of the freight tonnage, our average age is very high, [and] we don't have enough females," said Costello.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Uber just shut down their R&D program for self-driving trucks. It's a long, long way off.
Their potential labor pool is much smaller than it is for other jobs because so few people can pass the drug screenings
“Feminists” bitch about “gender inequality” with regard to corporate boardrooms and CEO positions, but they are strangely silent when it comes down to ditch diggers and construction work, roofing, drywall, etc. Weird, huh?
My ass....
Exactly.
I don’t get it. Doesn’t the merchandise get delivered to shopping malls by truck?
The other challenge is the CDL agree requirement of 21. A lot of high school graduates who might be good truck drivers migrate to other fields because they don’t want to wait around for three years before they can get a CDL.
Lol.. drove with hubby a while. While there are many automatic transmissions in trucking now.. these kids can’t even drive my 6 speed.
Terrible pay for only havint 3 days off a month. .. and the overtaxation on diesel.
They would have those 50,000 truck drivers if they paid what the job is worth. Some of these guys sit for days without a load and making no money or at a loading dock for a day or more trying to get unloaded.
They should all park their trucks for a few days and bring the nation to a stand still.
If you got it, a truck brought it. No way around that one. Centralized building still need a truck to bring the product....and a truck to bring the car the person drove to go get the stuff at the building....and the gasoline the car bought at the gas station...and....and....and....
Driving a big rig sounds like an interesting job...for a day or two. But I certainly wouldn’t want to live that lifestyle. Over a career, even military members spend more time at home than a trucker does.
It’s a completely temporary shortage that will help propel the investment of capital into the shipping industry.
I just can’t seem to get enough females either.
“Good money in trucking. Just have to give up your guns due to DOT regulations.”
Are you saying that if you get your CDL you are by law (DOT regs), required to not own firearms? I’ve never heard that one before. Or are you prohibited from carrying while you are on the road? Even if you have a Non-Resident CC in the states you drive in?
I use to drive truck..
money went away and I moved on to more profitable things.
that is the problem in a nut shell. They don’t want to pay good drivers so they use imported ones.
I’m at the age of thinking of retiring from my long held “day job” and have always wanted to drive big rig trucks. I know, why would I want to. Just something I’ve always wanted to do. I have a clean driving record of almost 30 years but can’t qualify because of a medical condition. I have an ICD and DOT regs say “no can do”! I know I’m less likely to have an event than some of the, well lets say overweight and under exercised truckers, but it is what it is. I wish they would change the regs and I would definitely take up long haul driving for a couple of years just to do it and wouldn’t care about how much they paid me. I love driving long distances and think it would be great to do for a couple of years.
Good money in trucking. Just have to give up your guns due to DOT regulations.
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Not true.
both are not true.. the new HOA rules are screwing drivers, insurance companies are requiring speed limiters on trucks (60 mph sometimes 62 if you are lucky)
Company policy can keep your gun out of the truck, but there is no law that says you can’t own one (unless restricted for some other reason)
Grant illegals amnesty on the condition that they become truck drivers for at least 5 years. If they don’t, deport them.
Their potential labor pool is much smaller than it is for other jobs because so few people can pass the drug screenings
or a drivers license record check.
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