Trucking policy developments to watch in 2nd half of 2019. It is designed for businesses that haul goods on behalf of others in exchange for a fee. Amid trucker shortage, trump team pilots program to drop. In your observations, how is the truck driver shortage impacting micro and small motor carriers. Very few new hires are expected in the near future, resulting in a driver shortage. Truck drivers looking for the best paying trucking jobs with benefits along with steady routes and truck driver training will almost always have to go with a national trucking company. Commercial trucking industry trends hub international. Motor carriers ranked the driver shortage at number one and driver retention at number two, and if theyre interested in addressing those two things, its a good idea to see what drivers said is. Jul 11, 2018 for noncommercial users of the roadway, this issue has serious implications. Driver shortage, hos rules top atri list of industry concerns bulk. The increase in the driver shortage should be a warning to carriers. A shortage of drivers is the top trucking concern, overtaking how many hours truckers can drive in a day, according to an industry trade group. The driver shortage is already leading to delayed deliveries and higher prices for goods that americans buy.
No container or straight truck or trailer moves without, at some point, a truck driver. Nations shortage of truck drivers the number one concern. The ata predicts that its likely to get worse in the coming years. The economy, the trucking industry and the driver shortage a perfect storm of economic, industry and regulatory events are contributing to an industrywide shortage of qualified drivers, a challenge that could have lasting implications for the trucking. This concern displaces the number one concern of 2016 electronic logging devices eld. The shortage is caused by the elogs and non paid overtime and low rates for the time you are away from home compared to other jobs that are out. The truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers for. Working as a longhaul truck driver is a lifestyle choice because these drivers can be away from home for days or weeks at a time. The bureau of labor statistics estimates that the average age of a commercial truck driver in the u. The canadian trucking alliance, a federation of the provincial trucking associations, representing over 4,500 motor carriers has formed a blue ribbon task force on the driver shortage to try and provide leadership in the daunting task of developing a coherent direction for moving forward on the issue. Nearly every period of economic growth is accompanied by a driver shortage, including the recovery that began in 2009. Survey says driver shortage, driver compensation top trucking.
The federal motor carrier safety administration fmcsa. Jun 28, 2018 the united states is struggling with a massive shortage of trucker drivers. Critical issues in the trucking industry 2018 3 industry issues impact motor carriers and commercial drivers differently, this report includes separate top ten lists specific to commercial drivers and motor carriers, in addition to the overall ranking. The most recent term, qualified driver shortage, has come about due to the implementation of the compliance, safety, and accountability program csa. The federal motor carrier safety administration fmcsa is coordinating with the following states that have declared emergency declarations. Jan 09, 2020 these data are used in support of our mission to prevent commercial motor vehiclerelated fatalities and injuries. Commercial carrier journal offers news, analysis and other information to managers of trucking companies and commercial truck fleets. Categories trucking tags american trucking associations, cdl, commercial drivers license, commercial motor vehicle, federal motor carrier safety administration, federal motor carrier safety regulations, phsma, pipeline and hazardous materials safety administration leave a comment. Just days after a coalition representing commercial drivers licensing schools. Fmcsa issues covid19 waiver for truck drivers with. Jan 25, 2018 according to the atas chief economist bob costello, while the driver shortage is a persistent issue for the industry, motor carriers are constantly working to address it by fleets raising pay, and offering other incentives to attract drivers. The shortage of qualified truck drivers is the number one concern for motor carriers, according to a report issued october 24, 2017 by the american trucking research institute atri.
Driver license reinstatements insurance only ignition interlock providers. Trucking industry was short more than 60,000 drivers in. Dot violation, examples and fines 2019 cdl consultant. Driver shortage the only business resource dedicated to the. Even so, trucking companies, especially truckload carriers, often have great difficulty finding, hiring and keeping drivers. How drivers, carriers rank top trucking issues speaks. Oct 31, 2017 the shortage of qualified truck drivers is the number one concern for motor carriers, according to a report issued october 24, 2017 by the american trucking research institute atri. The american trucking associations ata is the largest and most comprehensive national trade association for the trucking industry. Motor carriers and commercial drivers agree on just four of the top 10 challenges facing the trucking industry. Fmcsa gives commercial drivers extension on expiring cdls.
Fleets are also doing more to improve the lifestyle and image of the truck driver. Service members and veterans with military driving experience are excellent candidates for these careers. Running a trucking company is tough, especially in todays uncertain economy. Prohibited from driving after being on duty 60 hours in a sevenday period, or 70 hours in an eightday period if the motor carrier operates trucks seven days a week.
The truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers. Driver shortage top collective concern in atri survey. Growing shortage of drivers remains top trucking industry. Facing a critical shortage of drivers, the trucking. Interstate truck drivers interstate propertycarrying commercial vehicle drivers are. Motor carrier respondents indicated the shortage and driver retention were once. However, according to figures released by the federal motor carrier safety administration, there are 455,000 new entrylevel cdl holders5 and 98,0006 reinstatements every year, which far exceeds the number of new drivers required by ata. Adhere to applicable commercial vehicle driver qualification rules. How might the driver shortage impact the safety and transportation of cargo. Pocket guide to large truck and bus statistics fmcsa. Drivers, carriers have different concerns regarding driver. Fmcsa finds that the circumstances surrounding this waiver are unique because such government and medical operations are.
Yet as of august 31, 2006, the commercial driver s license information system cdlis had 12. Apr 09, 2020 direct assistance ends when a driver or commercial motor vehicle is used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services that are not in support of emergency relief efforts or when. There will be layoffs during the economic downturn brought about by covid19, but trucking hr canada continues to sound the alarm about a truck driver shortage. The official nebraska department of motor vehicles dmv government website. In 1992, the united states senate, recommending further research on the causes of truck driver loss of alertness at the wheel, directed the federal highway administration s office of motor carriers omc to undertake an. In the recent american transportation research institute report listing its annual top 10 issues for trucking, motor carriers listed the driver shortage and driver retention as the top two. Driver shortage the only business resource dedicated to. Arti released the report during the american trucking associations management conference and exhibition under way here. Trucking industry struggles with growing driver shortage. American trucking associations ace commercial trucking. The survey generated responses from more than 1,500 motor carriers and commercial drivers. Usa today published a series of articles documenting how port trucking companies in california forced their drivers into debt, pressured them to work up to 20 hours a day. A major problem for the longhaul trucking industry is that a large percentage of these drivers are aging, and are expected to retire.
We reached out to organizations that provide services to motor carriers, owneroperators and drivers to find out what they see as the main challenges facing the industry today and how they can be addressed. Commercial truck and bus drivers are in high demand, with a current shortage of qualified drivers. The federal unified carrier registration ucr agreement requires individuals and companies that operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate or international commerce to register their business with txdmv and pay an annual fee based on the size of their fleet. The federal government currently requires commercial truck drivers to be at least 21 to drive a large truck across state lines. The truck driver shortage probably seems much worse to motor carriers than the. A truck driver commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster or driver in the united states and canada. Even if carriers did pay drivers based on how many hours they work, they could. Alan adlerfreightwaves motor carriers and commercial drivers agree on just four of the top 10 challenges facing the trucking industry, according to the american transportation research institutes atri annual study. Nov 01, 2017 for more information, visit the federal motor carrier safety administrations website. However, if the driver informs the motor carrier that he or she needs immediate rest, the driver must be permitted at least 10 consecutive hours off duty before the driver is required to return to the motor carrier s terminal or the driver s normal reporting location, the declaration reads. Fmcsa extends, expands essential goods exemption safety. While a truck driver shortage is one reason factoring into truckload carrier capacity issues, there are many other problems that affect the ability for a motor carrier to supply adequate equipment and manpower to haul freight across continental north america. Emergency declarations, waivers, exemptions and permits.
According to the american trucking association ata, it takes 3. How drivers, carriers rank top trucking issues speaks volumes. Todd spencer, president, owneroperator independent drivers association the american trucking associations figures companies need about 60,000 drivers, a number that could top. At the very top of atris issues list is the serious driver shortage facing the commercial trucking industry, which can hurt the industrys ability to handle the additional needs caused by increased load deliveries. Under new rules proposed by the federal motor carrier safety administration fmcsa, state driver s licensing agencies sdlas would be prohibited from issuing, renewing, upgrading or transferring a commercial driver s license cdl or learners permit cpl for drivers who have been barred from operating a commercial motor vehicle cmv due to drug or alcohol violations. Heightened security presents a challenge, particularly for carriers of hazardous materials.
Speaking of truckers searching for trucking jobs, lets look at how many truckers we have compared to. Survey says driver shortage, driver compensation top. Motor carrierstrucking nebraska department of motor. Motor carriers and commercial drivers agree on just four of the top 10 challenges facing the trucking industry, according to the american. Motor carrier trucking services division, onestop shop, is responsible for administering three programs for interstate motor carriers. There are over 10 million cdl commercial drivers license holders in the. More than 2,100 commercial drivers and motor carriers across north america responded to the survey a 37% increase from 2018, according to.
The truck driver shortage probably seems much worse to motor carriers than. The trucking industry has faced a shortage of drivers for years, but the problem is compounded now with baby boomer retirements, increased freight demands and a high turnover rate. Nations shortage of truck drivers the number one concern of. First, as the ata study suggests, the driver shortage likely feels worse to motor carriers than the figures would suggest, because those figures dont address the issue of quality. The american transportation research institute is a notforprofit entity and revealed that for the first time since 2006, a shortage of drivers is the industrys top concern. One proposed solution is to lower the age to drive big trucks across state lines from 21 to 18. Truck drivers are the basic unit of transportation capacity and the glue that holds supply chains together. Atas driver shortage report 2019 american trucking associations.
There is a separate list broken out by drivers and motor carriers. May 28, 2018 daniel gollnick is a truck driver in melrose, wis. Survey finds driver shortage, hos rules top list of. Austin, tx a perceived growing shortage of commercial motor vehicle drivers and potential changes to hoursofservice rules are the top issues affecting the trucking industry, according to an annual survey conducted by the american transportation research institute. Facing a critical shortage of drivers, the trucking industry. Mar 24, 2020 the federal motor carrier safety administration on march 24 issued a limited waiver for commercial drivers whose commercial licensespermits andor medical cards have expired or are set to expire. Dmv shutdown in virginia could cause trucker shortage. There are over 10 million cdl commercial drivers license holders in the u. The seven biggest challenges facing trucking companies today. Nov 18, 2015 whats the definition of a commercial motor vehicle according to the federal motor carrier safety administration fmcsa. By far, the most commonly cited problems in trucking were the related issues. With the demand for more commercial drivers, and with the shortage of drivers, motor carriers are more likely to hire drivers with a questionable driving record history, increasing the probability of future accidents. They offer relevant training, skills, experience, responsibility, and discipline. The motor carrier coverage form replaces the old iso truckers coverage form.
Dec 12, 2018 in the recent american transportation research institute report listing its annual top 10 issues for trucking, motor carriers listed the driver shortage and driver retention as the top two. Growing shortage of drivers remains top trucking industry concern. Limited to 11 hours driving in a 14hour work day after 10 consecutive hours off duty. Instead, we use demographic driver data, population growth by age data, tractor counts, and projected economic and industry growth information to model and forecast the truck driver shortage. The waiver, which expires june 30, is intended to prevent a possible shortage of cmv drivers from becoming a transportation emergency, and. Oct 29, 2018 for the second year in a row, the driver shortage is the topranked issue. The federal motor carrier safety administration said friday evening that truck drivers who are moving goods in support of emergency relief efforts related to the covid19 outbreaks will. Driver shortage tops trucking industrys challenges for third consecutive year. Waiver in response to the covid19 emergency for states. Fmcsa suspends hos regulations across nation for those. The truckload carriers association tca states that the united states is headed for a truck driver shortage of 200,000 to 400,000 drivers within the next couple of years.
The shortage of forhire, longhaul drivers was the top issue in atris annual survey that has taken the industrys pulse for the last 15 years. Jul 24, 2019 meanwhile, the federal motor carrier safety administration announced the same day ata published its report a proposed rule that would allow commercial driver license applicants to take the. The truck driver shortage can be solved by paying drivers for all the work they do. The present circumstances give motor carriers more reason. Emergency declarations, waivers, exemptions and permits fmcsa. The federal motor carrier safety administration has extended its emergency declaration providing hoursofservice and other regulatory relief to. Concerns about hos rules, which held the top spot from 20 to 2015, rank second. Fmcsas proposed rules crack down on substanceabuse. Critical issues in the trucking industry 2017 3 top issues summary among all respondents, the driver shortage surged six spots to top this years list of industry concerns, surpassing the eld mandate which fell to second position and the hos rules which moved. The federal motor carrier safety administration on march 24 issued a limited waiver for commercial drivers whose commercial licensespermits andor medical cards have expired or. The pocket guide can serve as a valuable, compact resource for industry representatives, federal agencies, and other individuals interested in motor carrier safety regulations and performance data. Federal motor carrier safety administration trucking jobs.
Employment and social development canada esdc has announced a process to consider solidifying exemptions from new scheduling requirements for certain job classes in the trucking industry. How to become a heavy or tractortrailer truck driver heavy and tractortrailer. Driver shortage tops trucking industrys challenges for. The fmcsa is a separate administration within the u. Survey finds driver shortage, hos rules top list of trucking. Every year, atri conducts a survey and distributes a report that. Driver s license reinstatement insurance only renew your. The report includes response from both professional drivers and motor carrier fleets. The fear mongering used by the trucking industry to induce news coverage of a truck driver shortage is a tactic that has been used for decades. You may be surprised to learn that private or forhire vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 or more are considered a commercial motor vehicle for purposes of most of the department of transportation dot safety regulations under fmcsa 382.
We recommend you check each states web site and search for issued emergency declarations if you are interested in more details. According to the american trucking associations, the lead lobbying group for the nations commercial trucking industry, there was a shortage of 50,000 commercial drivers in 2017, which was the. Hearing the phrase driver shortage thrown about so much also sometimes leads new drivers to believe, wrongly, that they will be treated like kings and given wide leeway when it comes to. Therefore, we do not survey motor carriers when estimating the driver shortage. With the driver shortage in view, and having an eye toward attracting. If you are new to the industry, here are some things to watch out for. Survey finds driver shortage, hos rules again top list of trucking. The inability or unwillingness of trucking companies to keep driver salaries on pace with the rest of the workforce is also a big part of the shortage. Atri presentation exposes potential risks for commercial. The driver shortage is really a problem for the entire supply chain as 70. Arguments over driver shortage, compensation are actually pretty. In a briefing prepared for employment and social development canada esdc, the organization cites anecdotal reports of. The motor carrier coverage form is an iso form similar to the business auto policy.
The real insight of atris latest top 10 trucking issues could be in how drivers and motor carriers rank whats. Department of transportations federal motor carrier safety administration fmcsa today announced that it has published a new job opportunities website to help 1820yearolds who possess the u. The issues are ranked based on the collective answers to a recent open survey of drivers, motor carrier executives and other trucking industry stakeholders. The american transportation research institute atri unveiled its.
Economic recovery from the covid19 pandemic could be stalled if potential truck drivers are unable to get their commercial driver s licenses in states where department of motor vehicle. One of the most important steps in this process is to determine what data. Trucking through kansas kansas department of revenue. Fmcsa is headquartered in washington, dc and employs more than 1,000 people in all 50 states and the district of columbia. Ironically, driver shortage was not ranked among the top 10 by professional truck drivers. Heavy and tractortrailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another.
1026 1414 1153 545 805 479 1196 661 485 678 641 1155 422 1413 1652 384 757 542 262 1651 566 1606 742 1368 764 565 944 414 335 388 304 611 462 944 166 81 165 775 921 1352 972 23