What is the truck driver issue?
What is the Truck Driver Shortage? There appears to be a shortage of qualified professional truck drivers because drivers are leaving the industry and searching for jobs that offer better pay, benefits and working conditions.
- a lack of adequate rest facilities.
- no insurance cover.
- long border delays.
- threats to their cargo or vehicle.
- the corruption of law enforcement agencies.
- high fuel prices.
- poor road conditions.
- long working hours.
Working Long Hours Can Be Hard for Truck Drivers
While many would assume having to maneuver a big truck would be the most difficult part of the job, the long hours are often what truck drivers say is the hardest part.
DRIVER SHORTAGE
For the fifth consecutive year, the driver shortage is the trucking industry's top concern on the overall list, with more than four times as many first-place votes as the next issue on the 2021 Top Industry Issues list.
1. Driver Shortage. Driver shortage continues to be a top concern for the trucking industry. It's estimated that over 60,000 drivers are needed, with a potential to increase to 100,000 drivers within the next five years.
Many truckers are quitting because of low pay combined with difficult working conditions. Truck drivers can spend days at a time behind the wheel of their truck, spending nights in gas station parking lots, or even on the side of the road.
'Truckers Strike' - 41 News Result(s)
Thousands of truckers are on strike to protest the surge in fuel costs, disrupting production, slowing activity at ports. The truckers are striking for the seventh day on Monday, protesting against rising fuel prices and demanding minimum pay guarantees.
Truck driver salaries vary depending on region, type of equipment, and a driver's experience level. The average for drivers with their careers in full swing is around $45,000 to $60,000 annually.
...
6 Problems Your Delivery Driver Face
- Vehicle breakdown. ...
- Bathroom breaks. ...
- Taking too long. ...
- Running out of gas. ...
- Traffic Jams. ...
- No access to technology.
- Buckle up before you start driving. ...
- SLOW DOWN! ...
- Be alert. ...
- Do not use cruise control. ...
- Reduce your speed while approaching intersections covered with ice or snow.
- Allow for extra travelling time or delay a trip if the weather is inclement.
- Drive with low-beam headlights on.
What possible faults can arise in the vehicle due to the problems given below?
- Normal Wear and Tear. ...
- A Warning Light Shows. ...
- The Engine is Sputtering. ...
- The Steering Wheel is Shaking. ...
- The Brake Pads are Worn. ...
- The Brakes are Squeaking/Grinding. ...
- The Tyres are Flat. ...
- The Tyres are Wearing Unevenly.
Without physical workout, it causes the body to gain weight and leads to obesity. According to CDC research, seven out of ten truckers are obese in the U.S. alone. One truck driver even informed the researchers how common it was to become obese while driving trucks and long hauling vehicles.

The life of a truck driver is what you make it
My mileage per day averages 350-450 miles, with a day every so often over 500 miles. That translates to 7 1/2 to nine hours of driving each day. Other drivers who have different schedules are able to drive more miles in a given day.
A 2019 survey by CareerCast rated the trucking profession as one of the highest stress jobs in America. We were kind of surprised to see that the survey ranked truck driving as more stressful than professions in masonry, welding and food service.
According to the IRU's latest annual report on the problem, which covered 1,500 companies in 25 countries, some 2.6 million posts for drivers were left unfilled last year and the situation is expected to get worse in 2022.
Weather events
The US DOT has stated that weather delays cost trucking and commercial transportation companies anywhere from $2.2 to $3.5 billion dollars per year.
- Driver Shortage. For the fourth consecutive year, the Driver Shortage is the trucking industry's top concern on the overall list. ...
- Driver Compensation. ...
- Truck Parking. ...
- Compliance, Safety, Accountability. ...
- Insurance Cost / Availability. ...
- Driver Retention. ...
- Tort Reform. ...
- Economy.
Traffic congestion and parking difficulties. Congestion is one of the most prevalent transport challenges in large urban agglomerations. Although congestion can occur in all cities, it is particularly prevalent above a threshold of about 1 million inhabitants.
- Speeding.
- Following too closely.
- Improper lane changes.
- Reckless driving.
- Improper turns.
- Failure to yield to right of way.
- Railroad grade crossing violations.
- Failure to obey a traffic control device.
Supply chain and distribution issues won't end in 2022. However, across the board, forecasts for the trucking industry are positive. Drivers looking to start their own business may find that now is an opportune time to go forward with their plan.
How is the trucking industry doing in 2022?
According to the American Trucking Association's U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to 2022, freight tonnage will spike 24 percent in 2022, resulting in a 66 percent revenue increase in the industry. A large portion of the rise for 2022, and even for the next decade, is dominated by the trucking segment.
Life on the Road
Truckers rely heavily on truck stops as a safe place to park their vehicles overnight or when they need to take a rest break. Long haul truck drivers generally sleep in their trucks, as they may be away from home for days or even weeks at a time.
The truckers — who are now restricted to designated “Free Speech Zones" under threat of citation — are protesting California labor law AB5, a law passed in 2019 stating that independent contractors have to pass an "ABC" test to be classified as such.
“While vaccine mandates have been lifted for private employers and paused for federal contractors, they remain in place for non-U.S. travelers—including truck drivers—entering the U.S. through the northern land border.
The truckers – owner-operator truck drivers who make up 90% of the Port's operation – began protesting last Monday over the law AB5 because it requires that trucking companies make their drivers employees, shutting out all the independent operators who own their own rigs.
Annual Salary | ||
---|---|---|
1. | Sysco | $87,204 |
2. | Walmart | $86,000 |
3. | Epes Transport | $83,921 |
4. | Acme Truck Line | $82,892 |
Average UPS Delivery Driver hourly pay in the United States is approximately $20.59, which is 27% above the national average. Salary information comes from 29,303 data points collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months.
Can truck drivers make six figures ($100k or more) a year? Yes. You can earn $100,000 or more a year as a truck driver. It generally takes a few years, and usually means that you have become a trainer or work as a team driver.
Mastering your mind is one of the greatest life challenges of all. Your mind controls your perspective, it informs how you receive and process your interactions with the world around you. Unlike other things you can claim mastery over after a finite amount of time, the mind can take some a lifetime to master.
Limited staff – including delivery drivers and vehicles. Inefficient or manual dispatching and routing. Travel distance from customers. Order visibility and tracking across many drivers and multiple carriers.
What is black ice on the road?
Understand that black ice is like regular ice.
It is a glaze that forms on surfaces (especially roads, sidewalks, and driveways) because of a light freezing rain or because of melting and re-freezing of snow, water, or ice on surfaces.
“Extreme cold can wreak havoc on cars and shorten the lifespan of your car battery, but, more importantly, it increases the risk of being stranded. We are encouraging members to take the cold weather seriously and plan ahead to stay safe before heading out on the road.”
After filters and wiper blades, the battery is one of the car parts that is most likely to fail early on. It is responsible for starting the car and running all of its electrical systems. If your battery is starting to show its age, you might want to consider replacing it.
Rank | Most Reliable | Least Reliable |
---|---|---|
1. | Toyota Prius | Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 |
2. | Lexus NX | Subaru Ascent |
3. | Buick Encore | Volkswagen Atlas |
4. | Lexus GX | Jeep Compass |
A transmission repair service can take a few hours to a few days. Rebuilding a transmission system takes typically 3 to 4 days. For most rear wheel vehicles, our technicians will take a day or two to replace the whole transmission system.
"For most drivers, the reason why they're overweight or obese has a lot to do with their metabolism, which is related to their sleep cycles, circadian rhythms, accumulated sleep debt and stress," Baleka contends.
This condition is characterized by the frequent, sudden and intense urge to urinate. In most cases, people suffering from an overactive bladder will urinate more than nine times in 24 hours and will urinate more than two times a night. However, once identified, an overactive bladder is a very treatable condition.
- Eat clean. Next time you stop at a convenience store, consider grabbing some almonds rather than a candy bar; a chicken caesar salad rather than a hot dog. ...
- Wear sunscreen. ...
- Avoid driver burnout. ...
- Stay hydrated. ...
- Exercise regularly. ...
- Improve your posture.
- Double Clutching and downshifting.
- Straight backing, or just about any type of backing maneuver in a big rig.
- Having the driver's seat and the mirrors adjusted properly.
- Making right hand turns.
- Getting started from a stop on an incline.
10 Reasons Why Truck Drivers QUIT Their Job! - YouTube
Is it hard being a truckers wife?
There's no sugarcoating it: The trucker lifestyle is hard. Long days or weeks away takes a toll on even the strongest of relationships, and it takes a lot of patience, determination, and understanding to navigate the bumps in the road.
Truck drivers can earn a good income. How much does a truck driver make? On average drivers earn $50,909, while Over The Road (OTR) drivers who haul freight over long distances earn on average nearly $64,000 per year. Private fleets- those that deliver freight only for one company- often have much higher levels of pay.
While you may experience challenges because of the aftereffects of the pandemic (such as driver shortages), 2021 is a good year to get into trucking. After all, the market is looking up and there are plenty of affordable technologies to support your business.
Truck driver salaries vary depending on region, type of equipment, and a driver's experience level. The average for drivers with their careers in full swing is around $45,000 to $60,000 annually.
In general, large trucks are a little bit harder to drive than cars. This is because they are simply larger. Plus, they tend to sit up higher—so as a driver, you do too. Once you get used to driving a truck, however, it will become much easier.
Yes, being a truck driver is hard.
Many truck drivers must work long hours, spend lots of time away from home, and remain seated for most of their workday. Most truck drivers spend long hours sitting in one position, and this can lead to a host of health problems (e.g., obesity, chronic back pain).
Most truck drivers agree that while driving an 18-wheeler isn't necessarily hard, there is a learning curve when it comes to operating such a large vehicle. You need a lot more space to do things like make a turn, back up, or change lanes, and you'll have significantly larger blind spots to adjust to.
As you might expect, trucks are more expensive to insure than a sedan. The monthly gap in car insurance costs between pickup trucks and cars is $102. If you're looking for a cheap sedan to insure, consider the Ford Fiesta.
A 2019 survey by CareerCast rated the trucking profession as one of the highest stress jobs in America. We were kind of surprised to see that the survey ranked truck driving as more stressful than professions in masonry, welding and food service.
All commercial truck drivers should have a basic mechanical knowledge of their truck, trailer hook-up, refrigeration units (if applicable), etc. Knowing some basic mechanical skills can help you out of tight jams when you find yourself on a remote rural highway with little or no help available to you.
Why do truck drivers quit?
10 Reasons Why Truck Drivers QUIT Their Job! - YouTube
In fact, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (in an article on truck driver life expectancy CDC provides this information) has said that the average life expectancy for a commercial truck driver is 61 years, which is 16 years lower than the national average.
1. Where do truck drivers sleep? Truck drivers who drive a local configuration, sleep in their bed at home. Truck drivers who drive an over-the-road or regional configuration, sleep in the single bunk or double bunk in their truck sleeper cab.
Life on the Road
Truckers rely heavily on truck stops as a safe place to park their vehicles overnight or when they need to take a rest break. Long haul truck drivers generally sleep in their trucks, as they may be away from home for days or even weeks at a time.
- PRO: An Easy Start. ...
- CON: The Potential for an Unhealthy Lifestyle. ...
- PRO: Job Security. ...
- CON: Instances of Fatigue. ...
- PRO: An Independent Work Day. ...
- CON: Being Alone Most of the Day. ...
- PRO: Minimal Tediousness.
SXM is widely used by drivers. Despite the monthly fee, a lot of truckers choose this as their go-to for music, talk-radio, etc. when driving. Two of the top stations they recommend are Road Dog Trucking Radio and Willie's Roadhouse.