Trucking Industry facing Truck Driver Shortages

The global downturn has seen a sharp decline in the employment graph and there has been an acute shortage of jobs in the past two to three years. Unemployment has emerged as the most acute problems of the present time and is posing challenges to the system. But still in this crisis situation there is an industry which is facing shortage of manpower in the jobs and is seriously looking out for options in recruitment.

There are bundle of truck driver jobs available but the challenge before the trucking companies is to get the right personnel for the job. It is presumed that by the year 2012 there will be an acute shortage of around 40000 driver jobs faced by the trucking companies. There are many reasons for the decline in the number of truck driver jobs including many regulatory laws imposed by the government which gives permission to very few drivers who can actually get a valid trade license.

There is also an option of owner operator job in which an owner of the truck can be hired by a trucking company. It is an advance for the driver also as he can choose the location where he wants to go on his own discretion and work according to the convenience of his time. This way he will get the job also by the trucking company and he will work on his own terms.

Recession has undoubtedly taken most of the industries in its claws and there is an uncertainty looming over the various freight companies as well. There is a growing worry of the business remaining the same as the past times. But this fact can’t affect the matter of the job shortage which is faced by the trucking companies.

The recession hugely cut the jobs of the drivers and the various freight companies also stooped the hiring process. This affected the whole cycle in the chain like the closing of driving schools, people getting less licenses and so on. But the thing which is overlooked is that there will be a huge gap in the demand and supply chain in the coming quarters and times to come. According to federal motor carrier safety administration new law, there will be a cut in the daily working hours of a driver and they will work for 10 hours instead of 11.

There are many load boards in the industry and they have heaps of loads available for the trucking companies. But if the job hours are cut then there will be an overwhelming need of 150000 trucks overnight to lift the loads available on the fleet.

This situation can evolve as a golden opportunity to the qualified and professional truck drivers. There are also owner operator jobs and they will have a greater chance of being recruited by the trucking companies. Looking at the drastic graph of the truck drivers going down, the companies have also tried to catch and have rigorously initiated the process of employing the drivers in the industry.