The trucking industry has faced a shortage of drivers for years, but the problem is compounded now with baby boomer retirements, increased freight demands and a high turnover rate. According to the american trucking associations, theres a shortage of roughly 50,000 truck drivers across. Americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices and cause delivery delays. Americas trucking industry is the lifeblood of the u. The american trucking associations says the industry needs to hire. Us truck driver shortage getting worse, turnover figures show. Truck driver shortage is raising prices, delaying deliveries, usa today added in april.
More than 33 percent of class 8 trucking miles are driven empty because of a shortage of truck drivers. Truck driver shortage is a shortage of imagination. Atas costello projects out the driver shortage, and its a big number. Jun 28, 2018 the truck driver shortage is expected to hit 63,000 this year, according to the american trucking associations. Loadto truck ratios represent the number of loads posted for every truck posted on dat load boards. The trucking companies are beginning to offer better truck driver benefits such as investing in premium sleeper cabs, allowing family members and pets to ride along. Record pay increases for truck drivers in 2018 have had little effect on the ability. Carriers spend a lot of time and effort finding drivers in a difficult hiring environment and with only 40% remaining after a year, the shortage of. Right now, the oil sector could use just such a promotion as the current labor tightness in the industry, particularly for truck drivers, is reaching historic levels. Feb 09, 2018 if someone wants to open a new factory and finds the workers to build products, but the cost of freight is too high because of a truck driver shortage, then that business becomes uneconomical and. Apr 08, 2018 us truck driver shortage points to bigger problems. The driver scarcity relates most to an intensifying of several key issues relating to supply, demand, and new regulations. Truck driver shortages expected to increase oil prices and.
No container or straight truck or trailer moves without, at some point, a truck driver. Jan 17, 2019 however, the manufacturing sector is still doing well, and all the products have to be delivered, at least in part, by road. With experienced truck drivers retiring, there will be even more jobs that need to be filled. Why theres a shortage of truck drivers in america huffpost. Shortage of drivers slows booming truck demand transport. The intensifying shortage of drivers is the result of several key issues relating to supply, demand, and new regulationsand is expected to have a significant impact on oil supply. At the beginning of 2014, a truck drivers salary was effectively lower than it was in 2000. Even so, trucking companies, especially truckload carriers, often have great difficulty finding, hiring and keeping drivers. New ata report takes a deep dive into the ongoing truck driver shortage anyone that wakes up each day in a logistics job that centers around moving freight is more than aware of the fact that there is a significant truck driver shortage. According to the american trucking associations, theres a. Truck driver shortage is on course to double in a decade. At that time, there were over 928,000 truck drivers employed in the u. The chart below, taken directly from overdrives own coverage of the longrunning disconnect between the driver shortage. Labor shortage can mean different things to different people, whether a supplydemand imbalance at current market prices or at any price the latter often well implied in driver shortage.
Facing a critical shortage of drivers, the trucking industry. Not far behind with 33 percent is that of industry growth. The graphs below show truck driver employment levels for various. The truck driver shortage is expected to surge to 239,000 by 2022.
And the ata estimates that the industry needs on average 100,000 new drivers each year over the next decade. Changes in technology, sentiment analysis and global sourcing will solve the problem. The department of labor lists 864,000 drivers as forhire trucking heavy and tractor trailer drivers. When it comes to pay and benefits, will drivers finally be in the drivers seat. Aging truck driver work force a major issue in filling. Truck driver shortage is pressuring businesses barrons. New survey data reveals increases in driver compensation. Atas driver shortage report 2019 american trucking associations. In a testimony before the senate committee on commerce, science, and transportation, the president of ata stated that the driver shortage could hit 150,000 in a decade. He did not take the bait on a question about elds creating this problem. A trucker shortage is raising freight costs, some of which are being passed on to stores and shoppers.
Arlington, virginia today, the american trucking associations released data from its latest driver compensation study, showing driver pay has climbed as rising demand for freight transportation services has increased competition for increasingly scarce drivers. Oct 24, 2019 the present shortage of qualified truck drivers, the less than adequate driver wages, the long list of stringent rules and regulations, the implementation of electronic log books, combined with the overcrowded roadways on the major routes, truck driving in canada certainly is not as appealing as it once was, a few decades ago. Dire driver shortages in us trucking companies could hit. Bad press, high demand and a lack of skilled labor has led to a yearlong truck driver shortage, and it doesnt show signs of stopping. The driver deficit swelled by more than 10,000 to 60,800 in 2018 from a year earlier, according to a study by the american trucking associations. Some of the issues of most concern to the industry, such as the driver shortage, hours of service, and truck parking, are affected by the growth. So, if the economy does slow down and you get a pink slip in the coming year, it might be the perfect time to look at how you can earn your commercial drivers license and get on the road. If you see prices creeping higher for everything from cereal to socks in the next few months, you can. How the trucking industry will change in 2019 truckers training. Bad press, high demand and a lack of skilled labor has led to. The driver shortage is currently estimated at 35,000 lgv drivers 2. A quick guide to the state of truck driving in canada.
Retailers are facing a shipping squeeze, and the trucking industry just cant keep up. Jul 16, 2018 the driver shortage is the result of an aging workforce, high turnover and increasing freight demand. A truck driver shortage means opportunities abound. May 11, 2018 truck driver salary earning in canada.
Americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices and. Or, maybe gas and oil prices are the cause of the transportation industrys woes. According to the federal bureau of labor and statistics, the average professional truck driver age is 55. While some companies are raising pay to lure more people into the industry, it doesn. Hundreds of us trucking companies have failed so far this. This will also push drivers with less experience into higher demand, due to the driver shortage. Truck driver shortage and forecasts 2019 i am zeus. Oct 26, 2017 americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices and cause delivery delays.
If someone wants to open a new factory and finds the workers to build products, but the cost of freight is too high because of a truck driver shortage. Us truck driver shortage getting worse, turnover figures. Truck driver greg gedenberg in the back of his truck s cab where he often sleeps. The primary cause of the shortage of truck drivers is the lack of qualified truck drivers to fill the. Aug 24, 2019 bad press, high demand and a lack of skilled labor has led to a yearlong truck driver shortage, and it doesnt show signs of stopping. Google the term truck driver shortage and youll find an endless string of articles from various local newspapers lamenting the lack. Truck driver shortage is raising prices, delaying deliveries.
Truck driver greg gedenberg in the back of his trucks cab where he often sleeps. New ata report takes a deep dive into the ongoing truck. Truck drivers are the basic unit of transportation capacity and the glue that holds supply chains together. During the past 15 years, the trucking industry has struggled with a shortage of truck drivers. Trucker pay has plummeted in the last 30 years, analyst says. Oct 23, 2015 at the beginning of 2014, a truck driver s salary was effectively lower than it was in 2000. Employment of heavy and tractortrailer truck drivers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Mar 16, 2019 he predicts over the next decade therell be a truck driver shortage. May 28, 2018 america has a massive truck driver shortage.
But costello said that does not consist solely of overtheroad drivers, where the problem lies. The driver shortage is the result of an aging workforce, high turnover and increasing freight demand. Us truck driver shortage getting worse, turnover figures show william b. Trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the u. How the trucking industry will change in 2019 truckers. This latest survey, which includes data from more than 100,000 drivers, shows that fleets are reacting to an increasingly tight. Amid trucker shortage, trump team pilots program to drop. But that includes drivers like cement truck or dump truck drivers, and they arent part of the driver shortage. Apr 26, 2018 truck driver shortage is raising prices, delaying deliveries.
Facing a critical shortage of drivers, the trucking. The cold hard facts reveal that the demand for qualified truck drivers is increasing. Depending on where the driver lives, the base income will vary due to the locations cost of living. Never mistake the terms truck driver turnover with the truck driver shortage. Us truck driver shortage points to bigger problems. May 28, 2018 retailers are facing a shipping squeeze, and the trucking industry just cant keep up. Atas costello projects out the driver shortage, and its a. Without enough truck drivers, the cost of transportation and logistics will rise, and risks to supply chains could become dire.
During the great recession that started in 2008, the driver shortage was. Life on the road as a truck driver is far better than portrayed from dan ferrell, knoxville, tennessee, us. The trucking industry is facing a 100% usage rate among its drivers, which means they are all more or less operating at capacity. As i think about how to attack the driver shortage problem, i believe the answer is more than higher pay. Thomas black, an instructor, right, speaks with a student after practicing parallel parking with a truck at iowa central. Feb 11, 2019 the trucking industry has faced a shortage of drivers for years, but the problem is compounded now with baby boomer retirements, increased freight demands and a high turnover rate. Apr 03, 2018 the driver shortage is occurring as truck productivity is beginning to slide, costello said, though they are not necessarily unrelated. The truckdriver shortage is boosting drivers salaries, but salaries are still as much as 50% lower than they were in the 1970s. But underlying factors point to a grave situation this time around. Jul 14, 2018 a shortage of truck drivers is causing transportation costs to rise and creating headaches for companies like pepsico, tyson foods, and hasbro. Americas massive truck driver shortage may triple by 2026. Jan 04, 2019 ata released its quarterly turnover rate numbers for the trucking industry, showing a decline of 11 percentage points in the third quarter for large truckload carriers. The loadtotruck ratio is a sensitive, realtime indicator of the balance between spot market demand and capacity.
America has a massive truck driver shortage, the washington post declared in march. Additionally, if the demand for shipping services stays high, freight companies will have to raise trucker pay and pass on the costs to customers. Stay metrics chart breaks down driver turnover over time drivers. Jun 21, 2018 america has a massive truck driver shortage, the washington post declared in march. Jan 09, 2018 trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the u. Decoding americas truck driver shortage in 5 charts. The truck driver shortage is expected to hit 63,000 this year, according to the american trucking associations. While large motor carriers, such as those represented by the american trucking association and the trucking alliance, have stated that the trucking industry is being plagued with chronic driver shortage, realworld facts. Forthwith, truck driver turnover is happening on increased rates when truckers are in high demand. A shortage of truck drivers is causing transportation costs to rise and creating headaches for companies like pepsico, tyson foods, and hasbro. That is so because truckers know that they are in the situation to change companies easily. Trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage. If you are looking to get into the trucking industry, chances are good that youve heard that there is a driver shortage. Truck driver shortage spurs rising prices, delayed deliveries conditions in the market today for heavyduty vehicle demand are as good as theyve ever been, vieth said.
The trucking industry is facing a growing shortage of drivers that is pushing some retailers to delay nonessential shipments or pay high prices to get their goods delivered on time. The numbers are slightly different than those in the wsj, because the bureau of labor statistics includes other kinds of drivers, like fedex drivers and local delivery driver, in addition to longhaul drivers. The driver shortage truck drivers are the basic unit of transportation capacity and the glue that holds supply chains together. Increased truck driver pay lowers turnover rates in 2018. The present shortage of qualified truck drivers, the less than adequate driver wages, the long list of stringent rules and regulations, the implementation of electronic log books, combined with the overcrowded roadways on the major routes, truck driving in canada certainly is not as appealing as it once was, a few decades ago. Bp capital recently released a report about the issue. Not only do we face retirements, but there are fewer young people getting into the. Americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices. While the economy and demand for our services are good, our industry continues to face the reality of a shortage of drivers. Closing the gap on driver shortages by chelsea wherry. The shortfall was first documented in a 2005 report. Truck driver shortage persists, even after a year of wage gains. Atas costello projects out the driver shortage, and its.
Truck drivers salaries are rising in 2018, but not fast enough. Over the last 15 years there has been a steady increase in average driver age, rising from 45. Thats even though driver pay has risen, on average, in recent months. Truck driver training schools nationwide offer affordable training programs that can get drivers the skills they need to take advantage of. The driver shortage is occurring as truck productivity is beginning to slide, costello said, though they are not necessarily unrelated. Nearly every period of economic growth is accompanied by a driver shortage, including the recovery that began in 2009. Ata released its quarterly turnover rate numbers for the trucking industry, showing a decline of 11 percentage points in the third quarter for large truckload carriers.