The shortage of qualified truck drivers has already become a crisis, and the situation is expected to become significantly worse. Older truckers are retiring rapidly and not being replaced by younger workers, and new regulations have shortened the time truckers can drive and made it more difficult for people to qualify as trucking professionals.

“According to the latest data from the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the industry was short 60,800 drivers as of late 2018. Left unchecked, that shortage could swell to more than 160,000 drivers nationally by 2028, said Bob Costello, the ATA’s chief economist. In a more recent survey, Centerline Drivers found that more than 50 percent of employers were having trouble hiring truckers.” (SHRM.org)

Seven tips for surviving the shortage include the following:

• Employ logistics experts

  Those who specialize in transportation management may be able to better manage resource shortages through re-organizing routes and driver schedules. Spectra360 has been focused solely on the transportation and logistics industry since inception.

• Implement a Transportation Management System

  This can help to manage the logistics surrounding the shipping process, meaning drivers will waste less time and efficiency can be improved.

• Set favorable payment terms

  You want to be competitive with pay and you want to pay within a reasonable time frame. If you are able to make payments in under 30 days, this can make your company more popular with carriers.

• Improve your pickup and delivery policies

  Consider making policies more flexible so truckers can better accomplish their work. You also want to keep loading areas clearly marked and make the loading process as efficient as possible for drivers.

• Create an annual plan and schedule loads throughout the month

  Instead of squeezing shipments into short period months, space out the trips so qualified drivers can do them at different times in order to remain in compliance with hours-on-duty limitations.

• Combine hauls

  One-way hauls should be combined into round trip hauls whenever possible. You can also try to facilitate backhaul loads to reduce empty miles and can explore opportunities for less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments.

• Establish protocols for complete, detailed communication

  This can help to significantly improve efficiency.

Spectra360 can provide assistance in finding qualified truck driving professionals, even amidst the driver shortage. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help in order to make certain your company has the staff it needs to keep your shipments moving: www.spectra360.com/contact