ATA chief economist: Driver shortage linked to lifestyle considerations

From Transport Topics. The persistent truck driver shortage is a complicated issue that is tied in part to quality-of-life considerations, according to American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello. Costello reported the trucking industry needed an additional 60,800 truckers in 2018, a shortfall that is expected to grow to 105,000 drivers by 2023 unless recruitment…

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From Transport Topics.

The persistent truck driver shortage is a complicated issue that is tied in part to quality-of-life considerations, according to American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello.

Costello reported the trucking industry needed an additional 60,800 truckers in 2018, a shortfall that is expected to grow to 105,000 drivers by 2023 unless recruitment efforts improve. Costello delivered a presentation at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee meeting on July 20.

He identified various factors that are exacerbating the driver shortage, ranging from lifestyle issues to the pandemic’s limiting effect on departments of motor vehicles and driver schools. Anecdotally, he said he hears from fleets that companies can pay drivers less as long as they get them home every other night.

Maybe there’s more to this story,” Costello said. “Maybe it’s also about lifestyle. I think this really gets to the lifestyle issue.”

Route length — and the ability for drivers to get home regularly — has a connection to driver turnover, Costello indicated. Truck driver turnover rates generally are higher for over-the-road fleets than local ones. According to Costello, large for-hire truckload driver turnover rates were 90% for OTR operations and 20% for local operations in 2020.

Turnover can be impacted by a variety of other factors, including driver treatment by shippers, receivers and fleets. Also, Costello said fleets will try to recruit each others drivers, sometimes offering recruits the opportunity to drive new trucks.

Another factor associated with the driver shortage is FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a database containing information on commercial driver license holders’ drug and alcohol violations. ATA supports FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, but Costello noted it is having an effect on the driver pool. Many truckers who have been issued drug violations have not started the procedures necessary to re-enter the industry.

See the complete article online at Transport Topics.

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