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The Perfect Storm

By Kim Richardson

You frequently hear the term “The Perfect Storm” being used in many ways. Well we can now use it in the trucking industry as many companies are trying to solve their recruiting and retention problems. Hey, this is nothing new. We as an industry have been battling this problem for a long time, and the issue is going to get worse before it gets better.

I have the opportunity during the course of my work schedule to talk to many different people in our industry: drivers, trainers, human resource people, recruiters, association leaders, government officials, company owners, industry trade publishers and others. When you take in everything they have to say and filter through all of their thoughts and ideas, I'm hearing the same thing from all the different stakeholders: If we don’t get really serious about our recruiting and retention issues, we could be in for some tough times.

I know, I know. We’re riding pretty high at the moment. If you’re not in black ink during these times you better think seriously about where you’re heading. I’m going to really try to simplify this as best as I can. Our driving force is aging dramatically. All studies show there is a need for an enormous amount of drivers over the next five to 10 years to replace our veterans who will retire and replace the number of drivers who have quite frankly just had enough of pushing their rigs down the road..

Studies in the United States and Canada show fleets planning to grow heavily. How will they do this? There will be three main ways: adding equipment, adding owner-operators and acquisitions. There are other ways to grow your fleet but these are the three main ways of doing it.

More than 50 percent of the companies surveyed say that the biggest constraint on growth will be a lack of drivers. Competition is fierce. Forty percent of the North American driver workforce is over 45 years of age. Another 45 percent of the driver workforce is between the ages of 31 and 45.

Regulations -- Hazmat compliance, health standards, hours of service and tighter driver safety screening -- are further squeezing the driver pool.

Studies also show that the overall labor supply is shrinking rapidly and by 2008 the growth of our labor force will be under 1 percent. Here is a scary number for you. Experts say with all things considered, the overall shortage could surge to more than 120,000 drivers by 2010.

How does that old saying go? Figures never lie and liars never figure. I can’t imagine what we will possibly be doing to recruit drivers over the next four to five years. Some of the things we’re doing as an industry today will benefit our future. Things like the Apprenticeship Program for Professional Drivers, school promotions, job fairs and image-building in the general public will pay off in the future.

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In This Issue:

My Point: The Next Generation of Drivers
Where is the next generation of drivers going to come from?
Marvin Shefsky
- Publisher
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New Source of Drivers: Baby Boomers
The American Trucking Associations recently announced its participation in the Alliance for an Experienced Workforce, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between industry associations, designed to promote strategies for recruiting and retaining workers over age 50 as well as planning for the demographic challenges that will face the U.S. workforce in coming years.
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Driver Sound Off
Opinions and views of professional drivers from around the country.
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10 Reasons to Hire Vets First
"Your organization depends on reliable, resilient human capital. Veterans of America's armed forces have the skills, training and character to meet your toughest challenges for today and tomorrow. That's why the President's National Hire Veterans Committee wants you to know that hiring veterans is not just goodwill. It's good business."
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ATA/TCA Introduces Company Driver Tuition Program
The American Trucking Associations in cooperation with the Truckload Carriers Association recently unveiled an initiative designed to provide financial assistance to men and women who wish to attend truck driver training schools, as part of ongoing efforts to reduce the nation's shortage of long-haul truck drivers.
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Enlightened Leaders Make the Difference
With employers facing labor shortages and unprecedented worker mobility, a stable, productive workforce of drivers, owner-operators and support employees is relatively unusual in the rapidly changing trucking industry. It has been my experience in this industry that workforce stability -- with low employee turnover -- follows enlightened leadership.
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"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... and how many want out."

-- Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Great Britian

To learn more about Over the Road and Pro Trucker and how to put our team to work on your driver recruitment advertising needs, call our advertising sales team at 800-878-0311 or go to: www.otrprotrucker.com.