{"id":2668,"date":"2019-07-30T17:20:59","date_gmt":"2019-07-30T17:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cantruck.ca\/ata-truck-driver-shortage-threatens-supply-chain\/"},"modified":"2025-01-10T16:46:54","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T16:46:54","slug":"ata-truck-driver-shortage-threatens-supply-chain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cantruck.ca\/fr\/ata-truck-driver-shortage-threatens-supply-chain\/","title":{"rendered":"ATA: Truck Driver Shortage Threatens Supply Chain"},"content":{"rendered":"

The driver shortage that\u2019s been plaguing over-the-road, for-hire truckload carriers for at least the last 15 years reached a new high in the US last year, according to Bob Costello, chief economist for the American Trucking Associations.<\/p>\n

By the end of 2018, 60,800 more drivers than available were needed to meet the demand to haul freight, Costello stated in a press release highlighting ATA\u2019s\u00a0latest report on the shortage<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the report, Costello explains that the shortage rose higher last year (it stood at roughly 50,700 by 2017) thanks largely to robust freight volumes. \u201cOver the past 15 years, we\u2019ve watched the shortage rise and fall with economic trends, but it ballooned last year to the highest level we\u2019ve seen to date<\/p>\n

He said the combination of a \u201csurging freight economy\u201d and carriers\u2019 need for qualified drivers could \u201cseverely disrupt the supply chain\u201d going forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe [2018] increase in the driver shortage should be a warning to carriers, shippers and policymakers,\u201d Costello stated, \u201cbecause if conditions don\u2019t change substantively, our industry could be short just over 100,000 drivers in five years and 160,000 drivers in 2028.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a conference call with trade media, Costello explained that ATA\u2019s analysis of the shortage is based on a trend-line forecast, reports HDT.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat means it\u2019s based on where thing stand now not changing\u201d in the next several years. \u201cThe forecast is made assuming there will be the same demographics and it also assume there will be no changes in regulations for drivers.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noted that industry efforts such as raising driver pay are helping combat the shortage. \u201cThe industry is growing drivers, but not fast enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Costello said that while women make up nearly 47% of all U.S. workers, they only comprise 6.6% of all truck drivers, according to the Department of Labor. He said the share of female drivers has remained \u201cfairly stagnant,\u201d between 4.5% and 6.6% since 2000. \u201cThis is a large, untapped portion of the population\u2026 Some trucking companies have put an emphasis on female drivers, but the highest percentage of female drivers we have seen is around 20% for those fleets.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the report, he outlines a range of solutions, most of which are already being deployed by various fleets, including<\/p>\n