The US truck driver shortage

a reply to: Gothmog

it's going to affect the entire market not just housing

a reply to: Zaphod58


just watched a video on Universal Basic Income.

they mentioned that there would be a huge loss of jobs in the trucking industry because of automation and A.I.

also the first self driving mac truck just made it across the country.

As with any company there are good and bad parts about it.

For some it is the ideal life, and others, not so much.

Now as far as the AI driving without someone there, I do not believe that the technology is far enough along right now to worry about it taking over the industry, and even when it does catch up, one will still need to be in there, to make decisions. Someone has to put chains on that truck, adjust the tandems and make sure the machine runs as it is suppose to. So while this may make things easier, it is going to be a while.

a reply to: Zaphod58 I was told 30 years ago when I started driving only 1 out of 100 make it on the open road.
I've watched a lot of students come and go..
They get in a truck....drive into your future, see the world then reality sets in when they only see that white line for 32 hours running team.
Every 4 years if you plan on working for one of the big company's you have to go threw so much red tape to get a "Hazmat endorsement" homeland security does a back ground check so they say, just more ways to get in your wallet.
They've been talking about robot trucks driving there self for 20 years.
What this country needs is a truckers strike....all drivers stock your freezers at home, buy lots of ammo stay home for a week.
Watch the riots on TV.....
www.quora.com...

hello fellow members,

i dont know if this has been added, but, in europe the boards we count on to give us numbers, as in,
numbers of workers needed in certain fields.

they have been speaking of missing workers with qualifications and since invited migrants with missing qualifications as answer. meanwhile opening schools where last years students teach this years students and taking them out of this system, thus claiming reduced jobless. and a number which has been used in europe for years is the factor 7, since been reduced to 5. as is.

you report a open job to the job agency,
and the agency then adds 5 open jobs for "qualified" people to the market.
5 open jobs = 20 open jobs in the report = need for qualified workers

in that way, here in europe, they have been dumping the wage for qualified workers

in germany its called hartz4 #lendandowetheresorrysouls

#funfact the guy, peter hartz, who thought up the system of modern social slavery left the country for fear of his life, some say



dumping the wage through flooding the market with these "schools". a yuge system in it self "wasting" loads of money

a reply to: rokesharound here a student gets $100.00 a day "before tax's" driving with a trainer and hope that truck gets 1000 miles a day $100.00 for every 1000 miles the wheels turn.
you have to make it your life to survive.

originally posted by: madenusa
a reply to: rokesharound here a student gets $100.00 a day "before tax's" driving with a trainer and hope that truck gets 1000 miles a day $100.00 for every 1000 miles the wheels turn.
you have to make it your life to survive.

they have for lack of better words a "timer" that clocks their breaktimes as in when they pee and take a break, certain breaktimes have to be taken per law. but often as is shown, drivers manipulate these clocks because they cant take the breaks and make it on time. but would also like to keep their jobs

all the while competing against an overwhelming "needed" force, pressing the wages

#itsglobal

originally posted by: madenusa
a reply to: Zaphod58 I was told 30 years ago when I started driving only 1 out of 100 make it on the open road.
I've watched a lot of students come and go..
They get in a truck....drive into your future, see the world then reality sets in when they only see that white line for 32 hours running team.
Every 4 years if you plan on working for one of the big company's you have to go threw so much red tape to get a "Hazmat endorsement" homeland security does a back ground check so they say, just more ways to get in your wallet.
They've been talking about robot trucks driving there self for 20 years.
What this country needs is a truckers strike....all drivers stock your freezers at home, buy lots of ammo stay home for a week.
Watch the riots on TV.....
www.quora.com...

They were talking trucker's strike way back when I was driving in the early 80's. It ain't never gona to happen. I drove 3 years cross country and truly hated it. 3 years local and near starved to death. Got out of it or was going to evacuate my cranial cavity.

a reply to: CharlesTit would take all of us to make a difference.
im not giving up a paycheck so some rookie can get my truck.......
im still driving im home every night don't know how I could live without the smell of diesel.... lol

The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after 911 its all about the money game....it doesn't make the country any safer making a driver take a back ground check.

Like all terrorist are going to fallow the rules of the road.$$$$$

a reply to: madenusa

Some love it while others hate it. I'm one of the latter.

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: Gothmog

it's going to affect the entire market not just housing

As long as I have me and my family covered , the housing market can do what it pleases.
I have absolutely no stake in the housing market.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Zaph, I think we do not yet have a driver shortage to any large degree. The evidence is the wage level you cite.

I recall about 20 years back when the pundits/radio shows claimed there was a shortage of 200,000 drivers, nation wide. These numbers were tabulated by the totals of the ATA companies. The big companies.

Yet it didn't make any sense, whatsoever. If if only two loads per week, per driver-and that's low-that would be 400,000 loads not moving PER WEEK. The following week would add another 400,000 backlogged for a total of 800,000 loads not moving.

Obvious BS. The economy would have collapsed. Yet no one seemed in disagreement with it or thought it through....or said anything if they did think it through.

I believe I did 'think it through'.

If one interviews the guy in charge of expansion in a major trucking company, he's going to say 'we're 2,000 drivers short.(His recruitment goal for the fiscal year). 'We need 2,000 more drivers ASAP."

He doesn't have trucks for them, trailers or loads either. But that's his goal, his target...bonuses based on performance numbers. Yes? So let's say he does get 200 coming through the pipeline, a couple of phone calls and the trucks and trailers are on the way.

Now add in every other trucking company that operates the same way and exaggerate it a bit and you get a shortage of 200,000 divers......NOT...LOL

The loads? A different sorry altogether. The loads need to be taken from other carriers. period. Reduce the rate, offer on time delivery...to the minute...or you get a 50% rate reduction, in some case 100%!! But it will cost you a 'dermurrage fee' if we aren't unloaded within, say, three hours. ( that covers the point in your earlier thread, a bit, yes?)

Mostly rate cuts, though, as you pointed out. So where's the money for the drivers?? Given away to get the loads.

Now add in promoting that there's a driver shortage or exaggerating the size of that shortage is great PR to attract new drivers. A disproportionate number of them immigrants. or ex-cons...

Your point on the low unemployment numbers is of concern, though, and as you say, a real shortage is very possible. But in your case, especially teaming, that will drive up the driver pay, be it where you are now or elsewhere where your experience is compensated more to your liking.

I hung it up at between 50 cents and 75 cents per mile, depending on the customer, working regional and home about 95% every night. It was 'heavy haul', which out here is up to 105.500 lbs. 26 wheels. A little on the slow side on the hills but otherwise not too bad.

Overall it's a ro that does it out there in traffic....I can't take the stress of rush hour on lbj or tite residential with cars parked on both sides in Seattle.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
One of the big numbers that has come out with regards to the US economy is truck driver employment, and it doesn't look good. Trucks are responsible for 70% of all freight moved in the US by volume, but overall employment numbers are staying relatively flat, while demand is increasing.

A recent BLS report shows that employment numbers in the transportation industry are similar to what they were in the middle of 2015. Hershey, Clorox, and Sysco, all $10B companies are looking at 4th quarter drops because of increased transportation costs.

The biggest problem is that it can cost almost $3,000 and take a month to get your CDL,only to go into training with whatever company hires you. While training with them, your pay is barely enough for you to live on. You then go out on your own, barely prepared, and don't make much more. Now you have all these stories about self driving trucks coming, and the incentive to I into the field isn't there.

Eventually, the cost of transportation is going to get high enough that it will be passed on to prices at the store, or for whatever you order online. Something needs to be done and soon.

www.bloomberg.com...

True on all points.

Would also add that companies are starting to place cameras in the trucks which is turning people away from the job even more. Its to catch drivers who may not be doing things by the book, that the qualcomm system can't track. But it also brings up the question of privacy. Some truckers pay for "lot lizards", will the camera be on for that even though they're in "off-duty" time? What about married team drivers?

originally posted by: prevenge
a reply to: Zaphod58


just watched a video on Universal Basic Income.

they mentioned that there would be a huge loss of jobs in the trucking industry because of automation and A.I.

also the first self driving mac truck just made it across the country.

If you looks through my threads you will find one titled "carmageddon " it's a pretty eye opening blog on where AI coupled with the electric car will leave us.... It ain't pretty....

Had o laugh . This morning a South Bend radio station had an ad aimed at school bus drivers. Something along the lines are you tired of bratty disrespectful kids become an OTR or local route truck driver. Only caught part but definitely laughed. Every school around here has request for bus divers and wages are going up.

Heard part of it again more money and more time with your family!!!

a reply to: mikell

the real problem is that these young people expect a decent work life balance, what kind of laziness is that? probably from all that legal pot they have been selling now in Colorado. Get to work!