Trucking Industry Desperate

Even with a $46,000 starting salary, the trucking industry is still experiencing a major shortage in drivers– short of 40,000 drivers.

Companies like Covenant Transport are constantly trying to think of ways to make driving for Covenant more appealing. Vice President of recruiting, Rob Hatchett says, all he thinks about is drivers — how to get them and how to keep them amongst the growing driver frustrations such as federal HOS.

Currently, brand new drivers are being offered about $46,000. Those who are more experienced started around $55,000 while teams make $120,000 or more. Even with this pay, Covenant is still having trouble finding new truck drivers. “We hear so much about the unemployment numbers, and we’re sitting here begging to pay $55,000 a year if they’ve got one year’s experience,” said Hatchett. “We just kind of scratch our head and go, ‘How is there a shortage?'” (TimesFreePress).

The reason? Family. Hatchett says that although pay has increased and equipment quality has gotten better, “there’s nothing that’s ever going to make that more enjoyable, being away from family.” Unfortunately, the ATA (American Trucking Association) estimates that within seven years, the trucking shortage in the US could potentially reach about 240,000.

To read more about the trucking shortage, click here.