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* Trucking Industry Is Experiencing A Serious Driver Shortage
America desperately needs more truck drivers. The trucking industry is going thru a severe shortgae of drivers that is causing some retailers to curtail non-essential shipments or they have to to pay higher prices to get their goods delivered on time. The American Trucking Association reports that more than 70 percent of goods consumed in the country are transported by truck, and experts say that the industry will have to hire an additional 900,000 drivers just to meet rising demand.Back in the day driving a big rig was seen as being very honorable, nowadays trucks are being seen as an growing nuisance on our highways.
The driver shortage has been a dark reality for the trucking industry for the past 15 years. When the Great Recession was in full force , freight volumes dropped allowing the demand to be met with fewer drivers. When the economy recovered in 2011, driver shortages again became a serious concern. Dat Solutions had done a industry analysis at the beginning of 2018 that clearly showed that just one truck was available for every 12 loads needing to be shipped. The ratio had not been this low since the year 2005.
Fleets are not only being affected by a driver shortage , but also by the lack of qualified candidates . This even intensifies the effects on carriers. After all is said and done , this will have will create a very negative environment for the trucking industry, the general supply chain & the broader economy.
Oh I forgot to mention the average current annual salary for a truck driver is around $43,000