But underlying factors point to a grave situation this time around. Most recently the ata estimated that the trucking industry ended 2018 with a shortage of more than 60,000 truck drivers. With no real change in sight, the truck driver shortage is sure to get worse, before it ever gets better. First, make sure you will be able to fulfill the necessary. Apr 08, 2018 us truck driver shortage points to bigger problems. For the many unemployed truck drivers across the us, it may be surprising to learn that there is currently a nationwide shortage of qualified and experienced truck drivers.
The truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers for. Through a federation of 50 state trucking associations, affiliated conferences and individual members, ata is the leading voice of the industry that america depends on most to move our nations freight. Mar 12, 2019 if you havent heard by now, the united states shipping industry is in the midst of a serious truck driver shortage. If you havent heard by now, the united states shipping industry is in the midst of a serious truck driver shortage. According to the american trucking associations, america will be short 175,000 drivers by 2026. Even today, a lack of drivers is making goods more expensive and delaying orders. Cnbcs kate rogers reports on the shortage of truck drivers and how it affects the greater u. Freight rates are climbing, as theres more work than truckers can handle. Its not like you could choose a different business model. Sep 11, 2019 an important source of employment there were approximately 1. The increase in the driver shortage should be a warning to carriers, shippers and policymakers because if conditions dont change substantively, our industry could be short just over 100,000 drivers in five years and 160,000 drivers in 2028.
The us was short some 36,500 drivers in 2016, according to a 2017 report by the american trucking. The driver shortage stretches back a quarter century, and lately a runup in freight demand, staggeringly high turnover rates and waves of baby boomer retirements are compounding the problem. Its a problem hitting every goods provider, and the wood products industry is no exception. The driver shortage is the result of an aging workforce, high turnover and increasing freight demand. An aging fleet of drivers is one of the main reasons for the driver shortage. As the pandemic persists, labor shortages in transportation and other areas of the food industry could prove to be a problem. Building over the course of the last fifteen years, its starting to make an impact on the daily expenses of american consumers with few viable solutions in. Introduction to the us truck driver shortage visa solutions. Truck driver turnover often runs at elevated rates when drivers are in high demand because the drivers know they can jump from motor carrier to motor carrier. But the driver shortage isnt just because of demand created by online shopping.
Us truck driver shortage points to bigger problems until recently, if you said the word truck drivers and 21stcentury economy in the same breath, most economists and voters. Us truck driver shortage is slowing amazon orders, upping. Trucking industry was short more than 60,000 drivers. Meet the truckdriving mom in a business with hardly any. Trucking s current shortage might end up being a lag in the market, rather than a true scarcity of available drivers although a company trying to figure out how to get more drivers on the road may not care about the distinction. Work as a truck driver in the usa in 2020 visaplace. Joyce brenny, head of brenny transportation in minnesota, increased driver pay 15 percent this year to try to attract more drivers. Americas severe trucker shortage could undermine the. American trucking associations ace commercial trucking. The shortage of truck drivers in the united states a1 auto transport. There appears to be a shortage of qualified professional truck drivers because drivers are leaving the industry and searching for. The voice of americas trucking industry skip to main content. Aug 01, 2018 a shortage of truck drivers that has been simmering in the u.
The united states and colorado are facing a truck driver shortage, a daunting economic prospect as the vast. The shortage of truck drivers in the united states truck drivers are an often underappreciated group in the united states, despite being absolutely vital to the us economys ability to function. If you are a foreign worker hoping to work as a truck driver in the us, you may be served best by applying for an h2b visa. Trucking company recruiters descend daily on the united states truck driver training schools roughly 500. Americas severe trucker shortage could undermine the prosperous economy. The truck driver shortage in 2020 the dirty truth no one. Nearly every period of economic growth is accompanied by a driver shortage, including the recovery that began in 2009. According to the american trucking associations, also. According to the american trucking associations, theres a shortage of roughly 50,000 truck drivers. Americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices and. 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. Americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices. More than 60,000 truck drivers were needed by the end of last year the most ever to meet the countrys demands for freight services, according to a new driver shortage.
One of the biggest problems in the freight industry is that truck drivers turn over each year. An important source of employment there were approximately 1. The trucking industry is struggling, but maybe not for. Truck driver greg gedenberg in the back of his truck s cab where he often sleeps. Theres a shortage of bigrig truck drivers in the u. Oct 26, 2017 more than 70 percent of the goods we consume are carried by truck drivers on the nations highways.
Americas shortage of truck drivers could affect prices and cause delivery delays america faces shortage of truckers more than 70 percent of the goods we consume are carried on the nations. Bls says truck driver shortage isnt real business insider. A shortage of truck drivers that has been simmering in the u. Covid19 and truck driver shortage may threaten food supply. People working in the trucking industry say a shortage of drivers is looming larger than ever and freight and logistics companies say they cant fill positions as fast as baby boomers are leaving. Jul 16, 2018 the driver shortage is the result of an aging workforce, high turnover and increasing freight demand. The trucking industry needed tens of thousands of drivers even before the coronavirus hit.
Facing a critical shortage of drivers, the trucking industry. Professional bus and truck drivers are the industrys key assets, moving people and goods where they need to be. Oct 23, 2015 there is a shortage of truck drivers in the united states. As i mentioned in the intro, many trucking companies nowadays have posed strict hiring criteria. According to the american trucking associations, theres a shortage of roughly 50,000 truck drivers across. Walmart maintains its own private fleet of 9000 truck drivers, and the median salary for walmart truckers is double that of the national median. In california, nearly 50 percent of truck drivers were born outside of the united states. Apr 21, 2016 in california, nearly 50 percent of truck drivers were born outside of the united states. Us truck driver shortage points to bigger problems. Walmarts trucking fleet used to be as selective as harvard, but a truck driver shortage has changed how walmart hires. Truck driver shortage is on course to double in a decade. Driver shortage in the united states as recently reported in usa today, there is currently a severe shortage of trained truck drivers to deliver manufactured goods to sales points.
Truck drivers will continue to look for new opportunities and ways to make a living outside of the trucking industry if these problems are not addressed properly. The forhire trucking market does not have a driver shortage problem. Walmart says a truck driver shortage has changed trucker. One of the biggest factors of the truck driver shortage is the industry average age. The federal government just confirmed what americas 1. The american trucking associations ata is the largest and most comprehensive national trade association for the trucking industry. Why america is facing a shortage of truck drivers youtube. Yet, one of the most crucial factors that have caused truck driver shortage is the high average age of the existing workforcetruck drivers. The bureau of labor statistics estimates that the average age of a commercial truck driver in the u. The wall street journal recently reported on the need for 48,000 truckers in an industry of 800,000. Trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage. According to usa today shortages of trucks and drivers are delaying some deliveries of products and raw materials across the usa and raising freight costs. Even so, trucking companies, especially truckload carriers, often have great difficulty finding, hiring and keeping drivers.
Also, driver turnover and the driver shortage are not the same. Theres a critical shortage of truck drivers in the us right now, and its only getting worse. Theres a lot going on behind the scenes, according to bob costello, chief economist at american trucking. Here are the primary reasons for the usa driver shortage. Usa today published a series of articles documenting how port trucking companies in. Retailers are facing a shipping squeeze, and the trucking industry just cant keep up. A new report says the industry needs to hire roughly 90,0.
The rapidly aging driver population makes finding new drivers urgent. There are plenty of trucking jobs to go around, so why do we have a truck driver shortage when so many americans report they are looking for better pay. Truck driver shortage is on course to double in a decade by. Why is there a trucking shortage and how does it affect. Unsurprisingly, thats leading to a bidding war for qualified truckers among the big companies.
Theres a shortage of 51,000 truck drivers nationwide, the ata says, up from 20,000 in 20 and 36,500 in 2016. There is a shortage of truck drivers in the united states. Americas trucker shortage is about to hit consumers where it. Jan 09, 2018 trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the u. The truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers for all the work they do. No container or straight truck or trailer moves without, at some point, a truck driver. While the shortage is not new, it has recently become a serious threat to the continued growth of our national economy.
Building over the course of the last fifteen years, its starting to make an impact on the daily expenses of american consumers with few viable solutions in sight. There are several factors that have led to and exacerbated the trucker shortage, lets dive in to reveal the causes and potential solutions for the industry. The american trucking association ata estimates that the nationwide truck driver shortage around 50,000 empty seats, and expects that to increase to 174,000 open driver positions by 2026. The truck driver shortage is one of the biggest issues the north american trucking industry faces today. Americas trucker shortage is about to hit consumers right where it hurts. The american trucking associations says the industry needs to hire. Ata releases updated driver shortage report and forecast. A trucking generation of 45to54yearolds who started in the business 20 years ago represents the industrys largest. The driver shortage truck drivers are the basic unit of transportation capacity and the glue that holds supply chains together. Americas massive truck driver shortage may triple by 2026. Cnbcs kate rogers reports on the shortage of truck drivers and how it affects the. Jun 28, 2018 americas severe trucker shortage could undermine the prosperous economy.
Dire driver shortages in us trucking companies could hit consumers. May 28, 2018 america has a massive truck driver shortage. Influence government policies that advance the interests of the trucking industry. Dire driver shortages in us trucking companies could hit. The industry has openings and shockingly high turnover. Aug 03, 2018 cnbc s kate rogers reports on the shortage of truck drivers and how it affects the greater u. According to ata, the trucking industry has struggled with a truck driver shortage for the past 15 years. The driver shortage stretches back a quarter century, and lately a runup in freight demand, staggeringly high turnover rates and waves of baby. When it comes to pay and benefits, will drivers finally be in the drivers seat. 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.
A shortage of trucks is forcing companies to cut shipments or. The truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers. The road transport industry is the backbone of the economy and plays an essential role in peoples daily lives. A new report says the industry needs to hire roughly 90,000 new truckers each year to keep up. Apr 30, 2018 the truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers for all the work they do. The criteria that trucking companies are posing are closely interconnected with. How walmart shielded itself from truckdriver shortage by paying. Usa today published a series of articles documenting how port trucking. This is industry churn very different from the shortage of driver s and calculated using a completely separate method. May 28, 2018 retailers are facing a shipping squeeze, and the trucking industry just cant keep up. The ata projects the driver gap will increase to nearly 100,000 by 2021.
Life on the road as a truck driver is far better than portrayed from dan ferrell, knoxville, tennessee, us. Americas trucker shortage is about to hit consumers where. First and foremost, the reasons behind truck driver shortage are numerous. Several truck drivers fleet owner spoke with are concerned that immigrant drivers lower. Truck drivers and other job shortages in the usa an. Aug 02, 2017 meet the truck driving mom in a business with hardly any women american jobs hbo. According to bureau of labor statistics, the average age of. A shortage of trucks is forcing companies to cut shipments or pay up loads far outnumber vehicles as freight volumes near records. Though truck drivers jobs can be far from glamorous, they play a fundamental role in getting americas goods where they needs to go. Facing a critical shortage of drivers, the trucking. 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. Bigrig truck driver shortage worsened by coronavirus marketplace.