- March 16, 2017
The falling pay and the high costs of driving are the main reason behind the shortage of truck drivers in the driving industry. According to experts, this situation is likely to get worse in the near future. In the month of June 2013, the new rules pertaining to driving hours were implemented. The main objective behind implementing the rules was limiting the use of a 34-hour restart. Truck drivers and even other motor vehicle drivers have around a 70-hour per week cap on the amount of time that they can operate on the road. Truck drivers could reset this cap artificially to zero posts taking 34 consecutive hours off previously but this is not possible nowadays. This is the reason why around 80% of vehicles have gone through the loss of productivity with half of them stating that they are in need of drivers for hauling freight.
Reasons for Shortage of Truck Drivers in the Trucking Industry
Violating Rules
The small operating companies or the owner firms are dropping in number due to the increased cost of maintenance and operations. This has forced the drivers to experience the choice of either leaving their profession or joining the larger truck companies that offer low wages. With the regulations and the controls tightening on a regular basis, more and more drivers who are employed in the trucking industry are found moving to other industries. This is because they want to get easy riddance with the regulations implemented for governing their operations. Companies put a lot of pressure on truck drivers when it comes to violating rules. Drivers need to go through a lot of issues when trying to go by the federal rules and this has forced them to quit their driving jobs.
Less Time Spent at Home
Another problem with truck drivers is that they do not have enough time to spend at home with their families. Truck drivers generally haul oversize loads and they are out of home for more than five to six weeks. This is another reason why truck drivers are moving out of their profession and choosing to go for professions that offer them the scope of spending a good time with their families.
Getting Completely Squeezed
It is important to note that truck drivers who possess less bargaining power or experience get completely squeezed. People who are new to truck driving do not have any idea about the significant costs that they need to incur in maintaining the truck. These drivers are paid by the mile or on an hourly basis. Some of them even get a percentage of the total load. Some companies try squeezing everything out of the drivers while paying them very less for the services they provide. These are some of the valid reasons behind the shortage of professional truck drivers in the trucking industry.
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