Truck drivers are in very short supply. The average driver is between the ages of 40 and 50. This statistic shows the fact that truck driving does not seem to be an attractive career to young people. In order to make sure the industry is adequately staffed it is important to establish what is keeping young people away, and then to fix the problem.
The Importance of Trucking
Before addressing the shortage of drivers, it is important to be aware of how important truck driving is to our society. Almost everything found in stores is transported there by trucks. Everything from perishable goods in a grocery store to lumber in a home improvement store gets there by truck. This fact is important for understanding the importance of trucking as an industry. If the industry were to run out of drivers then all the products that people rely on to be available in stores wouldn’t be there. With no one to operate the trucks that deliver perishable goods to grocery stores and lumber to home improvement stores then, these products would be unavailable.
The Shortage
The average age of truck drivers in today’s trucking industry is between 40 and 50. This means that there is a lack of up and coming truck drivers. Having a lack of available drivers is causing big losses for trucking companies. Often times there are no drivers available to transport a load and business is lost. If this shortage isn’t fixed then there could be a serious problem ahead for the industry as a whole. This shortage is affecting not only trucking companies but also the businesses which rely on drivers to deliver their inventory.
The Solution
Truck drivers are in short supply because there are very few young people joining the profession. The solution to the shortage is to attract young people to the industry. There are regulations in place which require a minimum age of 21 for interstate truck operators. In order to appeal to those between the ages of 21 and 40 industry professionals should highlight the upside of being a driver. Some of the benefits of choosing a career in trucking are freedom, travel opportunity, and competitive salaries. These three things alone should be enough to attract younger talent. The solution to the shortage of drivers in the industry is to bring the attention of young people to the appealing nature of a career in truck driving.
The Bottom Line
The current short supply of drivers within the trucking industry is a serious problem. The shortage is being caused by a lack of young people joining the profession. The solution for this problem is to highlight why truck driving is such a rewarding career and thereby attract the attention of young talent.
Source: Transport Topics