How Trucking Went From One of the Best Jobs in America to One of the Worst

[Nittersing]

21. This article looks at retention as the issue... or at least part of the problem

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2021/05/25/999784202/is-there-really-a-truck-driver-shortage

"There is no shortage," says Todd Spencer, the president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. His organization represents more than 150,000 mostly self-employed truck drivers around the United States. Their interest in improving the pay and livelihoods of their trucker members has long come into conflict with the interests of the ATA, which represents the big trucking companies.

The big trucking companies want to secure a steady supply of cheap labor, and the ATA has spent years lobbying the federal government to loosen regulations in the industry. It's now pushing for the DRIVE-Safe Act in Congress, which would allow 18-year-olds to begin driving trucks across state lines. Right now, drivers must be at least 21.

"The driver shortage has been a persistent issue in our industry for many years," says Bob Costello, chief economist of the ATA. "We have numerous examples of fleets of all sizes raising pay, increasing bonuses and increasing benefits, like time at home, in response to the shortage." Costello says the "shortage" has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and new regulations that require better drug testing of drivers (which the ATA supports). And, he says, this issue will get worse in coming years as truck drivers begin to retire. The average age of American truck drivers is 48.

While truckers skew older, trucking is one of the largest occupations in America, with more than 2 million heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. The ATA says the real shortage is in "long-haul trucking," which refers to truck drivers who have to travel long distances across state lines. The government estimates that there are between 300,000 and 500,000 long-haul truckers in America. And according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, state governments issue more than 450,000 new commercial driver's licenses every year. A large fraction of those drivers enter the long-haul trucking industry.