Trucker shortage continues to grab headlines

One puzzling aspect of the national trucker shortage, at least to outsiders, is often the fact that drivers are fairly well-paid in comparison with many other positions with similar credential requirements. Truckers don't need a college degree, just certain types of licensure, which may make the fact that they can sometimes get paid twice as much as, say, warehouse workers stand out for those interested in addressing the national driver shortage.

Industry estimates show that there are as many as 51,000 unfilled trucking jobs nationwide, and those positions can garner starting salaries of about $80,000 in some cases, well above what most other entry-level positions offer, according to The Washington Post. This doesn't include what many freight companies now offer in terms of signing bonuses for new hires and other financial incentives or expectations for ongoing raises based on experience.

What's the issue?
Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests that part of the issue for many companies is that people who might normally take these jobs now see the lifestyle that comes with them as being quite difficult, both emotionally and physically, the report said. Moreover, those who actually drive for a living say that many of the benefits now being offered to them aren't always actually achievable, and while companies may advertise jobs paying $80,000, these benchmarks are not often something even the most dedicated, experienced drivers can actually hit.

As such, even industry insiders say it's not always an easy sell, and may be why there's so much turnover within the sector today, the report said.

"I tell friends who are working minimum-wage or factory jobs to go get their [Commercial Driver's License]," long-time trucker Daniel Gollnick of Melrose, Wisconsin, told the newspaper. "It's the easiest money you can get without a college degree, but it's a hard industry. You're going to be alone a lot."

Dealing with regulation
In addition, experts also broadly believe that new government rules about electronic driver tracking and logging are leading to additional turnover in the industry, according to Kansas City, Missouri, radio station KMBZ. Now that truckers have to stick to exact 14-hour shifts, no matter how much they were actually on the road and behind the wheel on a given day, it can be a lot more difficult to reach the goals required by freight companies to hit financial incentive benchmarks.

As a result, trucking has become like many other industries now facing a "skills gap" in which companies have positions available but may not be able to find people with the right mix of certifications or experience they want even if they technically have jobs open, according to Forum News Service.

Consequently, it may be vital for freight companies to do a little more to ensure they are both offering the right incentives - both to enhance finances and improve the lifestyle of new industry entrants - to entice new people into the industry, or at least lure drivers from other companies to their rosters. However, what could be more important is training and outreach efforts that will show off why the job can be a good one.