Truck Driver Shortage

[Rancher Will]

Has anyone noticed what must be a serious truck driver shortage. I have eight truck driver employees who tell me that there is now a shortage of thousands of truck drivers, they say mostly due to restrictive DOT regulations. My drivers also tell me that it is getting more common for any new driver to last only a few months after getting a little experience from the regulation "hassles".

They tell me that trucking companies are even offering "sign on bonuses" of $5,000 to up to $15,000 just to sign on as a new truck driver. And the companies even train the new driver plus pay the bonus.

Is there a shortage of skilled employees in other lines also?

 

[tinman]

My nephew went to work for one of the major carriers who paid for all of his training. He was contracted to work for them for 2 years. They kept him in "newish" rigs for the entire time and by all accounts took really good care of him......but, he did not like being away from home for those extended periods and, at the end of his contract, got a job with another company near home that gets him home pretty much every night.

If there is an actual shortage, I don't think its gonna last for long......saw this report just a while back.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sikh-indian-americans-becoming-truckers-mintu-pandher-laramie-wyoming/

 

[LDM]

From what I've heard that with GPS and transponders on the trucks, drivers' every movements are tracked. Seems like a driver can't stop for five minutes to answer a nature call without a dispatcher calling his/her cell phone demanding an explanation.

 

[Captain America]

Most of my applicants can't pass the drug test...

 

[AJGUNNER]

Is there a shortage of skilled employees in other lines also?

If you can weld or do even basic fabrication work, there is lots of choices out there right now. The years that high schools did not have any industrial arts programs is coming back to bite the manufacturing industry. The company I work for can't seem to find people to get in the door. Once we do get them in the door we only end up keeping about 1 in 5. Most either don't want to work, or don't know how to work. We also have field work all over the world but it seems like the older guys are burnt out on the travel, and the younger guys are either lacking in interest or work ethic. Then there are the guys that for one reason or another (multiple tickets, DIU, etc) that are not insurable to drive either company rigs or rentals for field work. The company currently has about 175 employees but could certainly use another 10-20 welders/fabricators.

 

[Gator89]

It is often quite entertaining watching the drivers attempt to back into the loading dock here at work. I have seen some give up and leave after 30 - 45 minutes trying.

Lots of folks occupying seats, few professional drivers right now.

We sell to Walmart, they laid off a bunch drivers last spring. By fall WM was calling begoing those drivers to come back.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Truck driving is something I wouldn't mind doing, but haven't really looked into it as I heard the regulations are very rigid. I don't know if people get paid more per person they disqualify or what.
I do know that I ran into the same problem with people not being able to pass drug tests. That one is pretty pathetic. I've told people that they would need to pass a drug test and if they need some time to clean out the system before they take the test let me know. "oh yeah, no problem, I can pass it." Then they can't, and with the company I worked for, they never got another chance once they fail it.
I know there is real problem with a lack of machinists out there. I don't know any machinist under 60 years old, and it won't be long before those guys retire. Filling those positions will be tough, or even find someone to train them. I have a friend that's about to be 70 and he's been looking for someone to train to take his place for a couple of years. They aren't out there, or if they are, have no idea about how to work, or the desire to work.

 

[graygun]

...drugs,work ethic and young folks not used to large machinery,mechanical work etc ...

Seems like I see many ads for drivers.

 

[Big Old Boy]

I drove truck for close to 50 years it was good for me then but with the new regulations and computer logs I don’t know why anyone would drive now unless you had a local job. I have been retired for six years and love waking up each day knowing where I am.

 

[GunnyGene]

Robots, especially in factories. And driverless trucks. Both are either in use or being tested. Why should a company employ humans when they can buy a robot to do the same job?

Well maybe this is why:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7954270/factory-robot-malfunctions-and-impales-worker-with-10-foot-long-steel-spikes/

A CHINESE factory worker has survived being skewered with TEN metal spikes when a robot malfunctioned.

The 49-year-old, named as Mr Zhou, was working on the night shift at a porcelain factory in Hunan province when he was struck by a falling robotic arm.

 

[mistermills357]

Long haul trucking sucks, I did for a few months, and I quit. I did no want to fall asleep at the wheel; while going down US Route 6, or something like that.
I was not cut out for it.

 

[blackhawknj]

Nothing wrong with physicals or drug tests. Here in NJ we had a bad accident on NJ Transit a few years ago. An engineer was losing his sight due to diabetes, he managed to avoid all his physicals. He missed a signal.
What's the old trucker's lament ?
"Here I sit with a broken heart-took three bennies and my truck won't start !"

 

[jimd441]

Good point gunnygene, but I can't help but wonder if the concept of future driverless trucks and advanced robotics is a disincentive for people to go into these lines of work.

Jim

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Here in SoCal, logistics is becoming one of our biggest employers, and has been for at least 10 years. It seems there's plenty of work, local and long haul, but when you see mile after mile of warehouses, each with 100-150 loading docks, it may just be hard to find enough people. My next door neighbor drives for a big nationwide company that pays very well, keeps top notch equipment on the road, and he's got enough seniority to pick his routes most of the time. But between DOT, TSA and who knows who else keeping track of his every move, and company bean counters planning his runs on an "always ideal" schedule, which doesn't hold up in real life, he says the pressure today is far worse than when he got started 15-20 years ago. For example, his nightly run is very close to 600 miles from here to Phoenix and back, and he's got no more than 20 minutes of "wiggle room" on his driving hours when all is good. All it takes is a storm, rain or sand, an accident or a delay at the checkpoint or scales, and that time's shot. QualComm and computerized log books don't let him cheat, either. He's single, with no responsibilities other than keeping the bills paid, and says he hasn't any idea how the married drivers with families hang in there.

So, yeah, a shortage seems "real" in light of some of that...

Rick C

 

[GunnyGene]

Good point gunnygene, but I can't help but wonder if the concept of future driverless trucks and advanced robotics is a disincentive for people to go into these lines of work.

Jim

As a career path, I would expect so.

 

[bogus bill]

It`s hard for me to believe large sixteen wheelers will ever be allowed on the road driverless. For that matter I don't see how ANY driverless vehicle will ever be allowed with a zillion different factors that could happen unexpectedly. Cripes, I see a semi headed at me with nobody in it I probably would run off the road! Will they put dummies in them?

 

[GunnyGene]

It`s hard for me to believe large sixteen wheelers will ever be allowed on the road driverless. For that matter I don't see how ANY driverless vehicle will ever be allowed with a zillion different factors that could happen unexpectedly. Cripes, I see a semi headed at me with nobody in it I probably would run off the road! Will they put dummies in them?

Already on the road. This from 2+ years ago. As for the dummy part, that is a matter of definitions. :wink:

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/25/driverless-beer-run-bud-makes-shipment-with-self-driving-truck.html

As beer runs go, this one stands out.

Anheuser-Busch hauled a trailer loaded with beer 120 miles in an autonomous-drive truck, completing what's believed to be the first commercial shipment by a self-driving vehicle.

The trip happened last week in Colorado as Anheuser-Busch, collaborated with Otto, a subsidiary of Uber that is developing self-driving truck technology. The semi drove autonomously on the highway between Fort Collins, Colorado and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"The incredible success of this pilot shipment is an example of what is possible when you deploy self-driving technology," said Otto Co-Founder Lior Ron.

Ron and three others founded Otto earlier this year after he and others left Google where they worked on the Google self-driving car project. In August, the firm was acquired by Uber, but remains a subsidiary developing the technology for self-driving trucks.

 

[bogus bill]

They don't take me out much anymore.

 

[GunnyGene]

They don't take me out much anymore.

That's ok. Amazon will fly in most anything ya' want via "robotic" drones - including beer.

 

[Big Old Boy]

With my close to five million miles I have to wonder what if?? As a driver I crest a hill and realize I’m now on a sheet of ice my experience tells me do not brake no matter what now what will the autonomous truck do? My reasoning is yep this happened to me many years ago, I topped a hill and the road turned to a sheet of ice cars spinning out and crashed everywhere I even had a woman step out in the road to try and slow me down I hit the air horn but never touched the brakes. I did not crash or hit anyone thank God.

 

[Rick Courtright]

With my close to five million miles I have to wonder what if??

Hi,

My personal thought is the autonomous vehicle is only as good as its programming, and there's no way we're gonna find many programmers who are smart enough to write code AND experienced enough driving trucks that they can write down every single thing the human brain can do in microseconds when faced with such a situation as you described. I just wonder how many people must die before we figure out this self-driving thing's not the best idea anyone's ever come up with.

Garbage in, garbage out... the concept's as valid today as the first time somebody coined the phrase.

Rick C

 

[GunnyGene]

With my close to five million miles I have to wonder what if??

Hi,

My personal thought is the autonomous vehicle is only as good as its programming, and there's no way we're gonna find many programmers who are smart enough to write code AND experienced enough driving trucks that they can write down every single thing the human brain can do in microseconds when faced with such a situation as you described. I just wonder how many people must die before we figure out this self-driving thing's not the best idea anyone's ever come up with.

Garbage in, garbage out... the concept's as valid today as the first time somebody coined the phrase.
Rick C

The difference now is AI. Learning computers that rewrite and modify their operating parameters based on what they learn in the real world. It isn't necessary, or even desirable, for a programmer to code a butt load of if/then instructions. Granted, that AI is still in baby stage, but that won't last long.

 

[Rick Courtright]

The difference now is AI. Learning computers that rewrite and modify their operating parameters based on what they learn in the real world. It isn't necessary, or even desirable, for a programmer to code a butt load of if/then instructions. Granted, that AI is still in baby stage, but that won't last long.

Hi,

Yeah, there's a lot of talk about AI. But let's answer this question: would you be confident that 80,000 lb 18 wheeler, buzzing toward you at 65 mph on a curvy two lane road, slightly bouncing off the white line as it "learns" the road, is gonna have it all figured out before it gets to you? Especially if we toss in that Microsoft provided the software...

Rick C

 

[Rancher Will]

The "driverless truck" that went from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs was reported on our radio at the time of the test. Based on the radio report, there was in fact two human drivers in the truck cab all the way. It was not reported if at any time a human driver took control of the truck when in any special situation but I suspect that it may have happened, especially going through Denver in the Denver traffic that is often a problem for human drivers.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Especially if we toss in that Microsoft provided the software...

Now THAT'S the scariest part!

 

[GunnyGene]

The difference now is AI. Learning computers that rewrite and modify their operating parameters based on what they learn in the real world. It isn't necessary, or even desirable, for a programmer to code a butt load of if/then instructions. Granted, that AI is still in baby stage, but that won't last long.

Hi,

Yeah, there's a lot of talk about AI. But let's answer this question: would you be confident that 80,000 lb 18 wheeler, buzzing toward you at 65 mph on a curvy two lane road, slightly bouncing off the white line as it "learns" the road, is gonna have it all figured out before it gets to you? Especially if we toss in that Microsoft provided the software...

Rick C

Absolutely not. No Way. Hell, NO. But I ain't in charge of anything anymore, except me, and my wife would dispute that. :wink:

 

[exavid]

Hey Pat, I just love that picture of the little guy's change of expression. He must have just figured out that he can't have a cell phone yet.

 

[exavid]

Hey Gunny, Anheuser-Busch is a natural for testing out autonomous beer trucks. I used to see their semi-autonomous beer wagons at the Puyallup fair. The new models don't leave some much "carbon exhaust" on the road behind them either.
When I lived near Tacoma, WA behind out house was a farm that raised Clydesdales. What amazing aninals those critters were.