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Transplace CEO Tom Sanderson on how to alleviate the trucker shortage.
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Turning our attention to -- even with unemployment at over 8%.
There is still a shortage of truck drivers in the United States and that's leading to higher freight costs and ultimately.
It's -- the consumers gonna pay more joining us is Tom Sanderson CEOs from -- place thank you for being with us.
And why aren't people who might be unemployed going into trucking what's holding them back.
Well Adam trucking is a very challenging job or are certain sector of the trucking industry is very challenging and actually where the shortages.
It's not they UPS or -- actually deliver packages to your home -- are -- officers plenty of drivers want those jobs -- to drive for Wal-Mart doing grocery store delivery.
It's that long haul over the road truck driver is where the shortages -- shortage of about a 100000 drivers at this point.
And for those long haul drivers they can make anywhere from forty to 50000 dollars -- -- on the road for several weeks -- time so not enough salary to attract people going to the industry.
That that's exactly right it's it's a challenging job where that drivers away from home for two or three weeks at a time.
Other sleeping in the cab of their truck they're eating and challenge and truck stops its just not a job.
That's attractive to many people who you know would prefer to stay home do with their families.
And that average age today of those drivers of that over the road truck segment is fifty to 55 years old.
And you can -- where did you gently tell us a -- you know what you talk about fifty year old the average age but you would think you know young men and women coming out of high school may be looking for good a job like his forty to fifty days pretty good.
They're not settle down with a family -- you gotta be 21.
So in a lot of states that the license requirements -- you lose that potential -- 'cause they go -- get other jobs right.
That's right yeah you do have to be 21 years old to hold that commercial driver's license or CB also that eighteen to 21 year old who -- not available.
But it -- to be fair.
There's concerns about the safety of that of that age drivers well but those -- for those that age person goes on to work in a different field construction or something.
And the loss for the trucking industry.
So what what -- the industry dude to close this gap we got a 100000 dollar driver shortage now -- I have read that it's projected to be another 100000 the next few years.
Is this up in the Department of Transportation could help you guys -- it may be I know -- -- and even worse for some of the regulations could they pull back would that help.
Well certainly the the regulatory aspect is part of that some of the changes in the hours of service -- expected to take about 3% of affected driving population -- which on three and a half million drivers that's a 100000 new drivers that that we need to come up with.
So that would help but.
Really industry can do quite a bit on their own to solve this problem and it's it's not so much on the supply of drivers -- the demand for that long haul driver.
By switching more freight from trucks derail you save money you save fuel.
And it helps alleviate that driver shortage may be set up companies that would be -- of those hub delivery systems in conjunction with that.
As some of the -- company that's Richard you're suggesting right.
That's right even for the of course -- it has to be picked up and delivered by truck to train doesn't go right to the grocery -- so.
But even that kind of truck rail truck movement there's no shortage of that type of driver truly that.
Long haul over the road driver that's that's away from home for such a great period of time it's really -- works lifestyle issues not as much -- comp issue although cops important.
All right Tom Sanderson we appreciate you joining us all the best to --
