Driver Dilemma: Expanding the Driver Pool
"If we don't infuse our fleet with young, talented drivers, we'll retire ourselves out of business."
That's how a recent featured article on TruckingInfo.com begins. The article opens by detailing how the trucking industry has always been hurt for good drivers, but more recently, there has been a steady decline due primarily to the bulk of qualified truckers nearing retirement age.
With these obstacles ahead, the motor carriers have begun campaigning for a younger, alternative driver pool with a focus on attracting milliennials, female drivers, and returning military personnel.
Younger Drivers
In the past, insurance companies have been reluctant to cover younger drivers, but trucking companies are looking to provide and implement a more rigorous training program for younger freight operators. The article interviews Minnesota-based Brenny Transportation that claims to issue their young drivers with a commercial learner's permit for the first 17 weeks of training prior to doing any runs on their own. After the preliminary stage, they are limited to short, cross-town runs and delivering to local businesses until age 21. Even then, a trainer accompanies them on their first few over-the-road runs.
Women
With trucking's very small percentage of women drivers, the industry has begun to evaluate the many strides this small demographic has made for trucking. In a predominantly-male trade, attracting women to the industry often means reevaluating the often male-dominant culture and establishing a business presence to suit and welcome women drivers.
Military Personnel
Finally, the trucking trade has begun to focus on hiring veterans in the coming years. These companies have begun to mine for veteran candidates through the Department of Labor, U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes program. Many of the companies feel the military's training and the veteran's level of dedication make a strong match for the demands of the profession.
Read more on TruckingInfo.com about how the trucking industry aims to curb the driver shortage dilemma by recruiting younger drivers, women and returning military personnel.
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