"Massive" Truck Driver Shortage

Above, Bill's huge Kenworth. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A few weeks ago, my friend Bill, who I've known since junior high school, stopped by at the Flying J travel center near my home in Jamestown, New Mexico. We met up at the Denny's restaurant and had a nice visit over breakfast.

He and his wife have been truck drivers for ages. They both share in the duties in driving their big Kenworth around the country (it has an automatic transmission). They have a "sleeper cab" that is about the size of a 14 foot travel trailer with beds, dinette, bathroom (with toilet and shower) and kitchen (they just recently traded up for an even larger truck). To me, their lifestyle is like full-time RVing and getting paid for it.

It would seem to me that this would be a great job for a couple with no children or couples with grown children.

But, according to an article in the Washington Post, there is a shortage of truck drivers.

They wrote:

America has a massive shortage of truck drivers. Joyce Brenny, head of Brenny Transportation in Minnesota, increased driver pay 15 percent this year to try to attract more drivers. Many of her drivers now earn $80,000, she says, yet she still can't find enough people for the job. 

About 51,000 more drivers are needed to meet the demand from companies such as Amazon and Walmart that are shipping more goods across the country, according to the American Trucking Associations. The driver shortage is already leading to delayed deliveries and higher prices for goods that Americans buy. The ATA predicts that it's likely to get worse in the coming years. 

Many trucking companies are so desperate for drivers that they are offering signing bonuses and pay raises. So why don't more Americans want this job? We asked truck drivers who have been doing the job anywhere from four months to 40 years for their views.

To read more, go here.