Truckload carriers have continued to raise trucker pay as more demand has increased, not just for retaining and recruiting truckers, but for consumer goods as well. Many experts are expressing the need to make the industry more appealing for someone who is expected to take this kind of job, where the lifestyle is not your typical working lifestyle. To put things in perspective in 2021, the trucking industry was down approximately 80,000 truckers, reported the American Trucking Associations.
While increasing trucker pay helps immensely for retaining drivers, the biggest factor for driver recruitment is the lifestyle. What kind of lifestyle will a new trucker be able to obtain while working in the industry? Especially since the pandemic began, more people are working from home or at least have that option, which is appealing to some.
The Truck Driver Lifestyle
When you think about it, truckers spend on average 250 days on the road in essentially an 8 foot by 10-foot box, after a long 10-12 hour day, which is where they get to sleep at night. Now it’s not all bad, and while you do have to stay organized and try not to accumulate too many items where your space gets too crowded, all of that space is yours. Along with that, things have improved such as the ability to use A/C in the truck more efficiently. There are now even microwaves, shelves, tv mounts, refrigerators, and nicer mattresses, according to ATBS.
The transportation industry also has a direct impact on why higher prices at grocery stores have increased, says Jim Richards, President and CEO at KLLM Transport Services. He continues saying, “A lot of the reason transportation has increased is because of wages. I think it’s just more of a realignment to be able to pay the type of wages that we need to pay to attract drivers into the industry.” It certainly doesn’t help that with the increase of freight demand, a variety of congestion, equipment shortages, lack of drivers, and more has followed.
What Does The Future Hold?
Many experts in the trucking industry expect driver pay to keep increasing for the foreseeable future. While continuing to increase trucker pay and creating a more appealing environment and lifestyle for truckers, won’t completely fix the recruiting and retaining issues altogether, it certainly is a start and does help.
We will be keeping an eye on the trucking industry throughout this year and will continue to keep you informed on the fluctuations of it all. If you would like to learn more about driver retainment and recruitment, please contact a team member today!
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