So, About That Truck Driver Shortage ...

The operative word that is many times omitted from this topic is "qualified". There is clearly a shortage of qualified truck drivers. There is however no shortage of applicants or students or trainees. To me (my opinion) a qualified driver is someone who meets the requisite medical (including no substance abuse), clean driving history and criminal background qualifications; has the ability to earn a driving certificate from a school, pass the CDL , prevail through road training and from that point forward become a productive, sustainable professional able to deliver their loads on-time, stay out of trouble and not break anything. If you consider those factors, over a period of one year there is an incredible shortage of qualified drivers. With all of the hiring and training they conduct, trucking companies are barely able to keep up with attrition let alone grow their driver ranks.

It's a difficult job and lifestyle that initially attracts numerous people. Invariably many of them for a variety of reasons are either voluntarily or involuntarily terminated before reaching their first anniversary. I am not trying to dissuade or scare anyone away, unfortunately these are the cold, hard facts. That is why TT is such a valuable tool for prospective and new drivers, it cuts through the sugar coating, helps a person determine if this industry is suited for them and initially prepares you to succeed.

I want to respond to what "G-Town" said earlier concerning "Qualified Drivers". What you said about "Qualified" is right on correct from what I have been hearing. In deciding to quit driving locally in southern Ca., for the last 25 years, and go OTR to see the USA I have been bombarded by companies wanting me to choose them. Some seem pretty desperate. So finally I started asking them, "why such desperation among the carriers?". The response was 3 part: 1.) Truckers that can't keep off of the drugs, failing per-employment or random tests. I was told, "there are many, many drivers that have experience, OTR, but they just can't insure them once they fail a drug test. 2.) Truckers that can't keep out of trouble with the law. Most companies have surveys and statistics that have proven, prior offenders tend to offend again. It may be unfair to some, but numbers don't lie. 3) Truckers that can't keep their DMV MVR clean. Once again, statistics have proven that drivers with poor MVR tend to operate their vehicles less than safe and outside the law. So is there a driver shortage? ABSOLUTELY NOT! There is a "Qualified, Clean, Law Abiding, and Safe" Driver shortage.