• Trained or trainable?

    There seems to be an interesting anomaly here. With the national unemployment rate over twice what it was five years ago, you'd think an industry like trucking, with all its opportunities, would have long lines of people standing and waiting to apply for jobs driving a truck. But instead, there are ten times the available trucker positions open now than there were in 2006. Is there really a truck
    Dec. 1, 2011
    3 min read

    There seems to be an interesting anomaly here. With the national unemployment rate over twice what it was five years ago, you'd think an industry like trucking, with all its opportunities, would have long lines of people standing and waiting to apply for jobs driving a truck. But instead, there are ten times the available trucker positions open now than there were in 2006.

    Is there really a truck driver shortage, or are other contributing factors creating the appearance of a shortage?

    I recently had a conversation with a trucker with over 25 years of driving experience. He had an impeccable driving record during his entire driving career, but because he went and did something unrelated to trucking for five years, he's told that he'll need to go to CDL school and start at the bottom as if he had zero experience.

    A recent article in The Wall Street Journal asked why companies aren't getting the employees they need. The premise of the article is that companies are expecting new hires to be fully trained, ready to work the day they're hired. Employers are laying blame for the lack of “qualified” workers on an incompetent education system. In the WSJ article, the journalist wrote, “The real culprits are the employers themselves. To get a job, you have to have that job already. It's a Catch-22 situation for workers — and it's hurting companies and the economy.” The above example of the trucker with 25 years experience seems to verify this is also happening in the trucking industry.

    Trucking companies need to stop looking for the perfectly trained candidates and start looking for trainable applicants. Wouldn't it be more productive for carriers to develop a training curriculum that meets their needs? Not only teach those who just entered the industry from a truck driving school the needed skills and knowledge to be a trucker, but have refresher courses for returning, experienced truckers so they can be brought up to speed on changes in the industry. If the carrier requires specific skill sets (tarping, load securement or whatever), those talents could be taught to their newly hired truckers, regardless of whether they're new to the industry or returning after a hiatus.

    Add the apprentice to master trucker program outlined in last month's column and trucking companies could transition from not having enough qualified drivers to having truckers who have the necessary skills, have the opportunity for career advancement, and bring pride back to a profession that needs it to thrive.

    Ask any successful company and they'll tell you that it's far better to teach your employees from within your operation than to rely on outside sources to provide the necessary knowledge to their drivers. Training and education needs to be the responsibility of the carrier.

    The way we're doing things now just isn't working, as evidenced by the estimated 200,000 truckers needed and the increasing driver turnover rate. It will require a paradigm shift from the way carriers find and train their truckers.

    Contact Tim Brady at 731-749-8567 or at www.timothybrady.com

    About the Author

    Timothy Brady

    Timothy Brady is an author, columnist, speaker, and business coach who provides information, training, and educational presentations for small to large trucking companies, logistics organizations, and community groups. After 25 years in trucking, Brady held positions from company driver to owner-operator to small trucking business owner. 

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from Operations

    4126654 | Phartisan | Dreamstime.com
    driver retention
    Turnover and its causes are expenses we like to ignore or accept as the cost of running a trucking company. In a market like today’s, investing in retention doesn’t mean spending...
    Brakebush Transportation
    Brakebush Transportation was awarded the 2025 FleetOwner Private Fleet of the Year Award, sponsored by Descartes, for midsize operations.
    Members Only
    Leaders of Brakebush Transportation, a century-old family business, share some of their innovative strategies and deep commitments to drivers that earned their operation FleetOwner...
    Schneider
    schneider 90th anniversary
    Schneider hosted an anniversary event, honoring a legacy that began in 1935 and grew to 12,500 trucks today.