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TRUCKERS' SHORTAGE * USA -
* DC - Trucks Don’t Drive Themselves
Washington,DC,USA -Uncommon Wisdom, by Brad Hoppmann -August 1, 2014: -- Jobs may be short in some places, but long-haul truck drivers are in short supply. Trucking companies are getting desperate... Shares in Swift Transportation (SWFT) plunged almost 18% following the company’s July 25 earnings report. The reason is simple: Trucks don’t drive themselves — at least not yet — and the company can’t find enough drivers... Swift told shareholders it might take the unprecedented step of (gasp!) raising wages to attract and retain qualified drivers... Big companies sign long-term contracts with trucking companies at a fixed cost that, in turn, can’t raise wages without cutting something else. Higher fuel prices probably don’t help, either... The Federal Reserve says wage inflation is under control, but here we see a very large industry where wages aren’t rising despite labor shortages. It doesn’t make sense...
* Florida - Shortage pushes trucking to accommodate smaller drivers
* Florida - Trucking industry looks to fill growing need for truck drivers
Clay County,FL,USA -The Florida Times Union/Jacksonville -Aug 5, 2014: -- “We could put 100 people to work tomorrow if we had qualified graduates.” That’s Iwa Sizemore, director of career services at National Training, the privately-owned truck driver training school... The demand for truck drivers has been strong since the recession ended and consumer demand for goods has increased. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average age for truck drivers in the U.S. is 55. Baby boomer retirements are having a big impact; analysts say that only six percent of drivers are 35 years old or younger. Job growth will also be driven by changes in freight carrier regulations that allow drivers to be on the road for fewer hours. Nationwide there are about 25,000 unfilled truck driving jobs, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), and demand is expected to rise 20 percent by 2020... Turnover is another reason for the high demand; the annual turnover rate for drivers is about 98 percent, according to 2012 figures. The American Trucking Associations estimates that 96,000 drivers need to be hired each year to keep pace with turnover... Long haul drivers earn $42,000 - $58,000, according to Sizemore, and local drivers will earn around $35,000. New graduates can expect to earn $750 per week plus overtime and benefits right out of school... Companies are beginning to offer hiring bonuses to attract drivers; Werner Enterprises pays applicants to attend a four-day orientation that includes a road test, DOT physical and drug screen, classroom training and written tests. They also offer a $2,500 signing bonus, paid out over the first six months of employment, for qualified hires for specific customer accounts...
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