Over the years, we have heard about the short supply of truck drivers. With the supply chain crisis in the United States, we notice empty store shelves, holiday panic shoppers, and crowded ports. There are overflowing warehouses across the United States, and the delivery times have been extended from days and weeks to months. So, what is causing the supply shortage? Several factors go into the supply shortage. Still, one of those reasons is not having enough truck drivers to deliver the product.
Truck Driver Shortage
With a report being released by the American Freight Forwarders Association, the trucking industry is short 80,000 drivers. This is a record number, and the American Freight Forwarders Association said that this number could double by the time we reach 2030 due to retirement. So, what is causing the driver shortage? It is becoming more difficult to attract drivers; there is higher competition, the balance between work and freight, the skill to drive, and COVID-19. Below we have broken down these issues.
Attracting New Young Drivers
The trucking industry notices that younger drivers are not as attracted to over-the-road driving as older individuals. There are not enough young drivers entering the industry to replace the older generation who is now retiring. According to demographics from the Census and the current job openings below, truck driver ages and gender are broken down.
Out of the 672,788 truck drivers in the United States –
- The average age is 47 – 9% between 20-30 years old – 18% between 30-40 years old, and 73% are 40+ years old.
- 80% of drivers are male
- 17% of drivers are female
Competition from Other Jobs
While younger individuals are interested in the logistics industry, they are more interested in warehousing. Not many young individuals are interested in over-the-road driving.
Balancing Freight and Family
One of the reasons the younger generation is not interested in over-the-road driving is balancing work and family. While many freight jobs are long-haul, today, drivers want to be home nightly with their families.
Impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused a lot of challenges in the trucking industry. The trucking industry has seen a -38% decrease in truck driver job posting from 2019 – 2020.
Closing the Gap
While it takes training, time, and money to earn your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) – trucking companies are looking for drivers. Thousands of truck driving job postings require a CDL and prior experience. If you have a CDL and over-the-road experience and looking to make a change in the United States, now is the time to lease on with a trucking company.
We are a 100% non-forced dispatch trucking company – this means you choose which loads you want and when you want to take them. Be home with your family more and never miss out on the important times with family and friends. Contact us today if you are interested in leasing or finding out more information.