Locally we cannot import the temporary visa workers from majority of countries so there is an intense shortage beyond retirees. I live in tourist heavy area with 75 restaurants/pubs walkable.
Is there really a shortage of truck drivers?
- Thread starter ekrampitzjr
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My point is why isn't the college kid or local person without many skills taking this job? There aren't enough jobs where everyone moved to better jobs and stayed there?
I think a big part is the Baby Boomers are all hovering around retirement age. The older ones are at or past 72 and the younger are 65 or 66. With the issues the past 18 mos I think many decided to just throw in the towel even if they had planned on staying a little past full retirement to get more SS. There just were not enough people in the pipeline behind them to make up the loss so many entry level jobs are left open.
I've been seeing alot of Black Female drivers
Going back to the late 70’s trucking was booming. The interstate highways were making It possible to move big loads by truck, the turbo diesels we’re getting more powerful, and the sleeper units were more comfortable. The oldest boomers were only in heir 30’s and trucking was romanticized by TV shows and songs on the radio. A lot has changed.
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LAZY .99.9% of "kids" these days dont wanna work let alone have to go to school more to get a cdl and then actually have to work.
My neighbor makes $28/hr in nice working conditions 7.5hrs/day with full benefits for pharmaceutical manufacturing ensuring equipment is clean and compliant. Why on earth would she want to drive a truck? Her job did not require skill just a high school diploma.
She used to be a restaurant host. She recruited her siblings into pharma manufacturing which pays $25/hr+. The cruddy jobs laid people off during pandemic and some people skilled up or were seeking better opportunities. Yes some collected but that was minority despite what the noisy cable news feeds you.
You think college kids sit around doing nothing between classes? These days a lot of them know what they are doing instead of partying and drinking, they would either take more classes so they can graduate sooner, or they learn highly paid skills like coding, so they can find better jobs in the future. (we have a hard time hiring any new grad below 100k and some I heard got pouched away at 200k after 1 year). Why wouldn't they speed up their studies so they can make them sooner?
For the same amount of effort truckers are doing, the good paying jobs would end up paying 200k+ after some training. If you have to get CDL then why not study well in school and get a good tech job? Oh, you can work remotely and probably get a 30% paycut if you are not lucky, still better than on the road for weeks.
BTW, if it is so simple to train them to do these jobs why don't employers pay internship to train these guys then pay them enough to stay on afterward? No one wants to train anyone but they want to pay just minimal, already trained employees.
Plus all the financial risks and debt when an independent Owner / Op trucker leases onto a mega carrier like Swift, Schneider, LandStar, JB Hunt, Mercer, etc....
If their wheels are not turning they are not making money. All it takes is a mechanical failure, breakdown and very expensive tow bill / repair to wipe out a month‘s worth of profit.
Trucking to me seems to have writing on wall as career once the first self driving truck launches.
I look forward to the IT work involved to transitiln that as I have worked for trucking industry in past with IT projects.
I look forward to the IT work involved to transitiln that as I have worked for trucking industry in past with IT projects.
AutoMechanic
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Nope my dad is a truck driver. No shortage at least not with his company. His company has more drivers than they do trailers so you definitely don’t want to lose your trailer which you will if it sets for 11 days. Fortunately he is on a regular run from Lynchburg Virginia to Carlisle Pennsylvania. Does three loads a week there and back. The problem is if there is a shortage is lack of training he has seen many people turned loose with CDL that weren’t ready then have torn stuff up and end up no longer being a truck driver. I think you now only have to be 21 to get a CDL which is too young in my and my dads opinions. He had to wait till he was 23 to get his.
GON
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When I worked in Central PA from 2015-2018, was told the adult employment participation rate was somewhere around 55 percent. Which meant 45 percent of adults in the region were either independently wealthy or getting a monthly government check. I have a feeling lots of the USA has like adult employment participation numbers.
Think it would be better to measure weekly adult participation rate instead of weekly unemployment numbers.
Think it would be better to measure weekly adult participation rate instead of weekly unemployment numbers.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
Your Dad has a very tough route, I81 to Carlisle. Hats of for your Dad doing that run. Lots of curves/ grades, very little shoulder, short merge ramps, heavy density of vehicles, and crazy 4 wheelers.
No idea how your Dad can do that as a permanent route. Huge kudos to him.
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AutoMechanic
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Yes he says the worst part is the West Virginia turnpike. He stays on 460 for as long as he can before getting on 81. Sees wrecks on a daily basis and sits in traffic too. He likes it cause he is used to it. Been doing it I think about 2 years now regularly occasionally he will slip something else in between these trips but not often.
I would say that just because you havent seen a shortage and the people you know arent seeing a shortage, thats a pretty small sample size and nothing to really go on.
Id agree that the problem is really that people are no longer willing to work for peanuts and COVID has taught people what they can afford to give up and just how much their time is really worth.
As has been said time and time again: if you want to find workers and cant seem to attract enough, perhaps its time to start paying them more.
Id agree that the problem is really that people are no longer willing to work for peanuts and COVID has taught people what they can afford to give up and just how much their time is really worth.
As has been said time and time again: if you want to find workers and cant seem to attract enough, perhaps its time to start paying them more.
There are several factors being discussed here.
Yes, there is a shortage of drivers, but there is also a shortage of goods being shipped. The lack of cargo is due to the price of shipping a sea can across the pond (China to NA and EU to NA). Pre pandemic it cost $3k to ship a sea can. Currently it is about $30k. Stock is pilling up at ports waiting for the price to come down.
Yes, there is a shortage of drivers, but there is also a shortage of goods being shipped. The lack of cargo is due to the price of shipping a sea can across the pond (China to NA and EU to NA). Pre pandemic it cost $3k to ship a sea can. Currently it is about $30k. Stock is pilling up at ports waiting for the price to come down.
New rule went into effect earlier this year, if your a felon you can't get a CDL. Ex-felons often drive trucks as it's a good living. Totally not right, that your a felon for life, pay your time, you should be free.
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They probably still have dirty water.
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