Do you have an adventurous streak, or maybe you’re just looking for something different to do for a living, perhaps you should check out driving a truck? Some believe this is a good time to get into the business.
It’s common knowledge that there a shortage of truck drivers across the country. Some major truck companies are feeling the pinch and they are finding it difficult to find qualified drivers. These are just two of the reasons that the trucking industry needs more drivers.
The shortage of drivers is beginning to have an effect as some retailers are forced to delay nonessential shipments or pay higher prices to get their goods delivered on time. These facts become more important when one realizes that more that 70 percent of the goods consumed in the U.S. are moved by truck.
DAT solutions, (a freight exchange service) conducted an industry analysis and found that so far in 2018, just one truck was available for every twelve loads needing to be shipped. This is the lowest ratio since 2005.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that the average age of a commercial truck driver in the U.S is 55, which is 10 years older than the average age across other comparable industries like construction and manufacturing. Trucking has long been considered a mostly male dominated industry, and with a less than ideal lifestyle, it has been losing its appeal in recent years. This has been a great contributor to the lack of interest young people.
As more truck drivers are reaching retirement age, there are no new drivers coming in to fill their spots. The need is great and some estimate that almost 900,000 more drivers are needed to fill the demand. Those coming into the field now are finding better pay as some companies battle to hold on to the drivers they have and attract more new drivers.
So, if you’re looking for a change of pace and something new and exciting to do for a living, maybe it’s time to check out truck driving as your new profession.
