The U.S. needs 50,000 truck drivers to avoid a shipping squeeze

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

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.

"So much of it revolves around demographics."

To be fair, the trucking lifestyle isn't exactly an easy sell. Truck drivers work long hours, they're away from home for weeks on end, and oftentimes sleep inside the trucks themselves.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/the-us-needs-50000-truck-drivers-to-avoid-a-shipping-squeeze/ar-AAxVgET?li=BBnbfcN

[CountAllVotes]

1. My friend's husband died before Xmas

He was a trucker and was staying overnight in his truck near Donner Pass.

He had a heart attack and died. They found him dead in his truck three days later leaving behind my friend with next to nothing.

Not good.

[oberliner]

2. "Driverless trucks are decades away" ?

I don't know about that.

“Driverless trucks could be a regular presence on many roads within the next 10 years,” says José Viegas, former secretary-general of the International Transport Forum (ITF)

https://www.ft.com/content/7686ea3e-e0dd-11e7-a0d4-0944c5f49e46

[TimeSnowDemos]

12. THIS

They're already being tested on the road, they provide a MASSIVE boost to revenue and are easier to deal with than humans. The technology is there, but it's still maturing... give it 10 years.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. I know a few long haul drivers, and, basically, the job sucks...

terrible hours, too many rules, too much unpaid time spent waiting, low pay, and when you get stopped for an equipment violation you are stuck for the ticket. If you're an owner-operator, you could get doubly hammered with expenses and taxes.

And, it's not that easy driving a semi. Country music makes it sound cooler than it is.

There are a couple of drivers, maybe ex-drivers, here. Is this how it is?

[global1]

5. I Wouldn't Worry About Too Many Rules Much Longer.....

I'm sure Trump will latch on to that and say he's keeping his promise to reduce government regulations and as a result make it all the more dangerous for both us and the drivers. But the trucking companies will probably like it. They'll get a chance to reduce costs.

I'm sure that costs are also going up because of the rising fuel prices as well though.

[liberaltrucker]

15. Yep, that pretty much describes the job currently

Left the business in 2009 and haven't looked back. Even let
my CDL expire.

[sarcasmo]

18. That's how it works, paid 150 dollars for a parking ticket in NYC back in the 90's.

One way street, docked the truck and went up to the 6th floor printing place. By the time I came back down the ticket was on my truck while it was parked in the dock. Blocking traffic on a one way street was the ticket, while backed into the dock.

[PoliticAverse]

4. Or in other words: trucking companies will have to pay more to attract more drivers...

until driverless trucks become more common.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Too bad the government long ago decided to destroy rail shipping.

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. +1.

[Lee-Lee]

7. Part of this is because over decades we've destroyed much of our railroads

Railroads can move the same freight for a fraction of the cost.

But compared to what existed 40-50 years ago our roailroad infrastructure is a shadow of itself. You have main trunk lines in place but the terminals needed to unload cargo are far fewer and the short lines that connected railroads to most of your smaller and even mid sized towns are being shut down and ripped up more and more.

[MicaelS]

17. The railroad companies themselves have killed much of our railroads.

I worked for 17 years as a freight brakeman / conductor for the Katy, and then the UP from 1977-1994.

Back then, and even more so today, all the RRs wanted was Unit Trains of coal, rock, grains and containerized freight. They made more money and required less handling (switching), or none at all, over the road, thus they could cut the train crews, from 4 men back when I was working to 2 today. The railroads really want 1 man crews, and they will never stop trying to get them.

The railroads themselves ran off the smaller business in small towns, because they did not want to service them. Thus they were able to get rid of the track serving these small towns and the cost involved.

You are absolutely right in your post, but I wanted to clarify who was really at fault.

[SWBTATTReg]

8. Probably why they are pushing drones, etc. other types of delivery technology ...

outwards towards the marketplace. Increase in pay would go a long way towards resolving this issue (I've known several long haul truckers, it's a hard life, hard to keep in contact w/ family and friends, etc.).

[GulfCoast66]

9. I now realize that anytime I read an article about a shortage of workers

In any field, it is really a story of business resistance to increasing wages.

[ck4829]

11. +1

[Girard442]

13. Exactly. Unless there's overwhelming evidence...

...assume every article about worker shortages is a lie.

[matt819]

14. Yep.

Pay, benefits, training, job security, and more. It’s the way it used to be, and there’s a reason it used to be that way. It worked.

But now, employees can’t count on any of those things, And trucking company executives are shocked, shocked that they can’t find workers. But now, employers Care about only one thing, their shareholders.

[bobbieinok]

10. On my tablet, DU has ad for owner/operator trucking jobs at end of this post!!