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Will opening the borders to more Mexican trucks and drivers to operate in the United States help ease the driver shortage?
Quote of the Day
"I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times."
-- Everett Dirksen (U.S. senator from Illinois, who served in office from 1951 until his death in 1969)
Free Trade, Globalization and Job Off-Shoring - The Potential Effect on U.S. Truck-Driving Jobs
By Dave McIrvin
Recently the U.S. government announced a pilot program whereby a select number of Mexican trucking companies will be allowed to operate in the United States. This pilot program is the much-delayed first step in implementing the transportation related provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiated in 1993. Ultimately it is anticipated that trucking companies in Canada, the United States and Mexico will be allowed to operate throughout the three countries.
The prospect of Mexican trucking companies operating freely in the United States causes great concern among parties in the United States with a vested interest in U.S. truck-driving jobs, including, of course, U.S.-based truck drivers. The concern arises because Mexican truck drivers reportedly average 30 percent to 40 percent lower average annual income compared to U.S. truck drivers. In addition to the concern about maintaining the current level of truck-driving wages, truck drivers in the United States are accustom to readily available truck-driving jobs due to the lack of qualified drivers available to fill truck-driving positions. A significant influx of Mexican trucks and drivers into the United States could reduce or eliminate that regular availability of U.S. truck-driving jobs.
Drivers Sound Off
As part of a long-delayed provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiated between the United States, Canada and Mexico in 1993, the U.S. government recently introduced a pilot program designed to allow a number of Mexican trucking companies and drivers to operate in the United States. Up until now, Mexican trucks and drivers have been essentially confined to a limited buffer zone along the border in order to drop off and pick up cross-border freight.
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Carriers Jumping on Health and Wellness Trend
Whether it's a retention tool, a moral obligation or just good business sense, a growing number of trucking companies are jumping on the health and wellness bandwagon, and their employees, particularly their over-the-road professionals, are reaping the benefits.
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Press Releases
My Point: Drivers' Health Crisis: What Can Your Company Do?
Marvin Shefsky
- Publisher
One of the greatest driver retention tools we know is painfully obvious, yet it's surprising how few carriers have seen fit to use it. We're talking about drivers' health, an issue that has been flying below the industry's radar for many years, but is just now gaining altitude and attention as the driver shortage crisis intensifies.
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Women In Trucking
By Ellen Voie
Before you read this, take a few moments to look around your office. As you scan the rows of desks or cubicles, notice how many of them are occupied by women? If about half of your co-workers are female, then you are in a typical office environment.
How Mackinnon Transport Turned Around Its Driver Turnover Rate
By Rick Miller
MacKinnon Transport Inc. is very proud to have enjoyed a very favorable, industry leading driver and owner-operator turnover rate ranging between 20% and 30% over the last number of years.
Driver Career Path Outline Takes Aim at Driver Retention
TRINCON Group, a national transportation industry advisory firm, has released an outline of its driver career path plan and made it available for free to the management of trucking companies through the company Web site, www.trincon.com.
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.
