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Quote of the Day
“The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”
– Colin Powell
Chairman, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1989-93
New Faces in Truck Cabs
There are new faces in trucking these days, as carriers look to recruit nontraditional drivers. Who are they? Here’s a look:
1) Baby boomers. This demographic is practically a custom-fit for the trucking profession. Thousands of boomers are tired of their desk jobs and looking for a change of pace and a chance to travel. Others are turning to trucking because they were laid off or are looking at semi-retirement options. Either way, these drivers, typically 50 and over, are considered safer, more dependable, and more aware of their driving limitations than their younger counterparts.
2) Women. Thousands of women took up truck driving during World War II, but as the men returned from war, their numbers fell sharply. Today, those numbers are creeping back up. Last year, there were 182,000 female drivers, making up 5.2 percent of the nation’s 3.5 million truckers. In 1983, women accounted for only 3.5 percent of the country’s drivers.
An Indiana carrier says that 13 percent of its drivers are women, and the company is hoping to hire more. “Anecdotal evidence indicates women are more careful and take better care of their equipment, which is good for us,” says the company’s CEO.
3) Team drivers. Older husband-wife teams are also attractive candidates for long-haul trucking companies. Empty-nesters no longer have children at home and are free to travel, and the number of hours they can drive legally doubles, meaning that freight arrives sooner. Some shippers that demand just-in-time deliveries (which cut the need for big inventories and warehousing) pay extra for team drivers.
Source: Roemer Report (used with permission)
