CS Recruiting Examines the Logistics Industry and Its Existing Trucker Shortage

CS Recruiting Examines the Logistics Industry and Its Existing Trucker Shortage

As 2015 endures, the trucker shortage in the logistics industry isn’t expected to disappear. Currently, the American Trucking Association (ATA) estimates that the logistics industry is short about 30,000 truck drivers. The ATA also reports that if this issue isn’t addressed soon, then by 2020 a new record shortage of 240,000 drivers may become a reality. This issue is starting to become a hot topic of conversation within the logistics industry as trucking companies are left to scramble to find qualified drivers.

3 Factors Causing the Trucker Shortage

• The Economy: There isn’t one single factor that has led to this shortage of truck drivers, but rather a combination of elements. However, the largest factor that is driving to this shortage is the firming of the economy. Due to the financial crisis that began in 2008, a vast amount of carrier companies began to close due to a decrease in consumer spending. Many of these companies lost their equipment as it became harder for them to obtain the credit they needed to reinvest in their companies, causing many of them to close their doors altogether. As the economy continues to stabilize, this has a direct impact on consumer demand. Because the economy is showing signs of recovery, consumers see this as a good sign and start to put their money back into the economy by buying more goods. In effect, trucking companies directly see this increase in demand and are expected to deliver an increased amount of goods. Although this cycle is pretty standard and expected, this doesn’t always prepare truck companies well in advance.

• Age: The average age of a truck driver is 55 years old, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. As these seasoned truck drivers look to retire soon, carrier companies fear that the shortage may become even worse. Trucking used to be an appealing career opportunity for young individuals, but as the average salary for a truck driver remains an unpromising $38,000 a year, these would-be younger drivers are turning to alternative careers such as construction or industrial work.

• Regulation: Finally, over the past few years, regulations that limit the amount of hours that a trucker can drive, requiring them to take breaks, has caused long-haul truck drivers to be on the road longer without extra pay. These federal regulations have detracted potential truck drivers from entering the industry and have caused many current drivers to leave it.

How Logistics Recruiters at CS Recruiting Can Help
To combat the issue, many trucking companies have started hiring specialized driver recruiters to their teams to help hire truckers in this competitive market. This position is most typically a full-time gig that focuses exclusively on hiring qualified and reliable drivers. When a company hires an experienced in-house driver recruiter, they will inherit the relationships, market knowledge, expertise and creativity that a qualified candidate can bring to the table. These connections and relationships can prove to be extremely valuable when it comes to finding and

CS Recruiting is taking notice of this new hiring trend and has accordingly entered the business of assisting trucking companies in finding skilled driver recruiters. By partnering with a third-party recruiter, you can identify internal recruiting talent that will bring market knowledge and driver connections and hiring strategies to boost your success rate. For more information about how CS Recruiting can help you find an expert driver recruiter to help get your trucking company through the shortage, contact us today.

Many carrier companies are currently looking to hire more drivers but are having a hard time locating qualified candidates. In fact, Business Insider reported that 90 percent of carriers said that they can’t find enough drivers who meet the Department of Transportation’s strict driver criteria. To combat this issue, some carriers have begun to offer prospective truck drivers free licensing and signing bonuses, which can both cost upwards of $5,000, to lure them into jobs.

Hiring more truck drivers to get all of these goods where they need to be takes time and money, something that trucking companies may not always have an abundance of. These trucking companies already have a shortage of drivers and don’t want to waste helpful bodies on recruiting, hiring and onboarding new truck drivers.