Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Massive Trucker Shortage Could Hit Your Wallet Soon
FoxBusiness.com ^ | August 22, 2014 | Kathryn Buschman Vasel

Posted on 08/23/2014 7:24:59 AM PDT by upbeat5

Truck driver Anthony Plummer remembers when he was in the middle of the country on a long-haul delivery when he learned his daughter was sick in the hospital.

“I was told to get back [home] as soon as possible. But there are a lot of rules that limit how much I can drive, so I told them I would get back as soon as I could.” It was after this incident that Plummer decided to make a career shift to become a regional truck driver. “It blew my mind if something were to happen and if I was way across the country. Every now and then I still go out there to long run because she is doing better, but it’s rare.”

Plummer isn’t alone with his career move as the trucking industry suffers a shortage of drivers across the board, especially among long-haulers. According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the industry is about 30,000 short of qualified drivers. Over the next 10 years, that number is set to rise to 200,000.

The industry, which has an average 115-120% annual turnover rate, according to Brian Fielkow, CEO of Jetco Delivery, a logistics company specializing in regional trucking, also has an aging problem. Bob Costello, chief economist at the ATA, says the average age in the for-hire truckload market is about 49, and for less-than-truckload drivers (LTL) and private carriers the average is about 55.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: drivers; jobs; trucker
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-97 next last
To: upbeat5

This is just code for we want cheap immigrant labor.


41 posted on 08/23/2014 8:59:46 AM PDT by virgil (The evil that men do lives after them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: upbeat5
Ashley Distribution Services is hiring drivers for long haul and short drop. If you're looking for work, check them out.
42 posted on 08/23/2014 9:02:08 AM PDT by rabidralph
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: upbeat5
This may indicate where the real money is going to be on self-driving vehicles. Forget the family car. Self-driving trucks will push humans completely out of the job.
43 posted on 08/23/2014 9:02:13 AM PDT by irv (Live Tea or die!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mountainlion

And Somalian drivers.


44 posted on 08/23/2014 9:02:35 AM PDT by logi_cal869
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: GrandJediMasterYoda
But I would think it would cost a fortune for a company like Coors to UPS all their beer.

Thus the push for the Keystone Pipeline.


45 posted on 08/23/2014 9:04:09 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (The IRS: either criminally irresponsible in backup procedures or criminally responsible of coverup.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: logi_cal869

That reminds me-a good job for blacks-keeps them outta trouble and away from their homies.


46 posted on 08/23/2014 9:04:19 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: logi_cal869

And Somalian drivers.

That may clean up the road kill.


47 posted on 08/23/2014 9:05:23 AM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: GrandJediMasterYoda
shortage is due to the 9 billion government regulations a driver has to deal with?

There has always been a shortage of drivers. I've been with my current company 17 yrs. Once we had a few guys laid off, but within 6 months we were hiring again. Our company even took to an apprenticeships program to fill the slots and we still need drivers most of the time.

48 posted on 08/23/2014 9:06:31 AM PDT by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of gun free zones?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: upbeat5

Sfl.


49 posted on 08/23/2014 9:10:13 AM PDT by TADSLOS (The Event Horizon has come and gone. Buckle up and hang on.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DIRTYSECRET

Ummm...

...having just returned from a trip to Seattle, lemme give you my first-hand, un-pc observations:

ALL the ‘working’ black people I ran into had thick foreign accents (overwhelmingly Somali, I was told). Cab driers/owners, limo drivers/owners, business operators/owners.

I wasn’t being facetious about the ‘Somali drivers’ comment...but is was, in regards to your comment, a slam against a certain ‘culture’ in many States.


50 posted on 08/23/2014 9:14:12 AM PDT by logi_cal869
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: upbeat5
People just don't want to work anymore. All the time people are pissing and moaning, caterwauling that the "jobs are going overseas" and that we are in a "burger flipping" economy. But that is all B.S. There are literally millions of well-paying jobs available in the U.S. but people just aren't showing up to take them.

I've been a hiring manager at my company for years and our company is starved, STARVED, for good talent. But we have a hard time filling our positions, many of which pay into six figures.

I am so sick of hearing about "no jobs available" and if that poster shows up who's constantly harping about "bring the jobs back from China", I think I'm going to electronically strangle him.

51 posted on 08/23/2014 9:14:42 AM PDT by SamAdams76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: upbeat5
It is the awful regulations.

Trucking is absolutely saturated in regulations that make it almost impossible to be a trucker or run a trucking company.

52 posted on 08/23/2014 9:16:52 AM PDT by Lady Heron
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailback
How they get green cards and CDL’s I have NO idea.

Probably the same way illegals fly for free without ID.

53 posted on 08/23/2014 9:16:56 AM PDT by Ezekiel (All who mourn the destruction of America merit the celebration of her rebirth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: KarlInOhio

LOL!


54 posted on 08/23/2014 9:20:43 AM PDT by rabidralph
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: irv

Agreed. Long-haul trucking is a natural for self-driving vehicles as they can run 24x7 with little down time. We’re still 10+ years away from that, however, based on both the maturity of the technology and natural inertia. You also need to build up the infrastructure to support this fundamental transformation (automated refueling stations, etc.). But it will happen soon enough.


55 posted on 08/23/2014 9:20:59 AM PDT by AustinBill (consequence is what makes our choices real)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: upbeat5

My daughter works at a trucking center, and she was telling me how it was changing. Many Muslims, Indians, and Mexicans driving trucks now.


56 posted on 08/23/2014 9:25:16 AM PDT by vickixxxx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

see post 35


57 posted on 08/23/2014 9:28:41 AM PDT by Tailback
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: virgil

They want to bring in Mexican drivers, in addition to those already allowed to drive vehicles not meeting U.S. safety and inspection standards within some distance of the border.


58 posted on 08/23/2014 9:33:45 AM PDT by tbw2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: SamAdams76

Do you think that the generous SNAP, TANF, section 8 and other benefits (if not disability, too) are discouraging a lot of people from working?


59 posted on 08/23/2014 9:34:50 AM PDT by tbw2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: PAR35

Lots of “Long haul” IS moving by Intermodal (Train) today. Unfortunately the trains can take more time due procedure than long haul trucks to get from A to B., as well the routes of the trains are fixed/set. They just don’t go everywhere the freight is wanted.

Team truckers make the difference on the specialty, time essence loads as by teaming up to drive a single truck, the truck moves 24 hours a day getting to their destinations in half the time of the trains. While one guy sleeps in the sleeper cab the other drives, and vice versa. This is how they get around the limitation on hours that puts a single operator truck down for hours per day. It costs more as well, but customers pay the price for the service.

I’ve seen lots of teams dispatched per day when I was involved. Admittedly it’s been a number of years since I was involved, but I have friends still involved. Talking shop seems to be a natural thing.


60 posted on 08/23/2014 9:37:43 AM PDT by rockinqsranch ((Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will. They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-97 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson