Truck drivers continue to campaign for a raise in per-mile pay for driving through routes in congested areas, according to a survey by Rand McNally.
The survey of 424 trucking professionals was conducted by The Litchfield Group, based in Marietta GA.
While 50% of fleet managers said trucker requests for higher pay were as common in 2004 as in 2003, 46% of the managers do not plan increases in 2005.
The survey also determined that 47% of managers surveyed said drivers used onboard tracking systems to warn them of possible late arrivals.
Cell phones were the most popular means of alerting managers of delivery delays (53%), with 9% of respondents saying their drivers use pay phones.
Five percent of those surveyed said e-mail was used to alert them of late arrivals. (Totals exceed 100% because the question permitted multiple responses.)
The survey also asked trucking professionals to rate the importance of services available to drivers at truckstops.
More than half (55%) of those responding consider secure overnight parking as the most important feature.
Maintenance and driver rest and relaxation facilities came in second and third with 12% and 10%, respectively.
Internet access was deemed the least important service by 36% of fleet managers, followed by truck and trailer wash facilities, rated as least important by 24% of respondents.