There isn’t a driver scarcity, solely a pay scarcity, truckers and OOIDA agree

Trucking corporations in Iowa and even the Govt VP of OOIDA agree that there is no such thing as a driver scarcity, regardless of statements from politicians and the ATA – the true problem is driver pay. 

Fo years, the American Trucking Affiliation, politicians, and different nationwide teams have claimed a mass scarcity of truck drivers, predicting a scarcity of 160,000 truckers by 2030. Nevertheless, trucking corporations in Iowa and the Govt Vice President of Proprietor-Operator Unbiased Drivers Affiliation have not too long ago stepped as much as say that the difficulty isn’t a scarcity of drivers, it’s a scarcity of pay. 

Govt VP of OOIDA Lewie Pugh says that the truck drivers are on the market, however the problem is excessive turnover in trucking jobs because of low wages and lengthy hours. 

“They’re coming, they’re not staying. We’ve obtained this bucket that we’re filling with new drivers, however we obtained this gap on the backside they usually proceed to fall out. Truck drivers don’t work 40 hours every week, they work 70 hours every week or extra as a result of that’s what they’re allowed to drive, and that’s turn into the usual or the norm in our trade. The 70-hour work week, not a 40. Truckers don’t receives a commission extra time,” Pugh mentioned.

In an effort to maintain up, states like Iowa are shifting in the direction of reducing the CDL age to 18 in an try to sustain with the excessive turnover, however Pugh says this doubtless isn’t the most secure or best technique.

“Take some younger particular person or whoever and put them behind the wheel, they’re probably not snug or skilled effectively in what they’re doing, they’re not getting paid effectively, they’re away from their household, all these items, so that they go away,” mentioned Pugh.

Not solely is the trade troublesome for truck drivers, however in response to long-time small trucking firm house owners, it’s getting worse for smaller corporations too. 

“I’ve industrial insurance coverage which could be very costly. It runs about $6,000. They run theirs beneath a farm LLC, most of them, they get by for most likely $800 bucks. You already know, it’s not a stage enjoying discipline on this trucking trade,” mentioned an area Iowa trucking firm consultant who most popular to stay nameless, simply in case. 

CBS 2 Iowa studies that organizations are pushing for laws that will grant truckers extra time previous 40 hours in hopes that this would scale back driver turnover. 

The American Trucking Affiliation didn’t reply to requests for touch upon the turnover and extra time problem.