The document discusses the truck driver shortage in the US. While the overall economy and job growth is strong, there remains a lack of truck drivers. The driver shortage is expected to grow to over 100,000 additional drivers needed in the next 7 years. Several factors are contributing to the shortage, including older drivers retiring, fewer young people entering the industry, and millennials being less attracted to driving careers. To attract more drivers, the industry must make driving jobs more appealing by offering benefits, work flexibility, career paths, and competitive pay as the new generation of workers expects different job qualities than in the past. Recruiting and retaining drivers is important to reduce business costs and ensure the trucking industry can keep up with growing transportation needs

1. Volume 2– January5, 2018
From the Eagle’s Nest
Where Are All the Drivers?
December 2017 sawthe largestpayroll increases in theUS in 9 months. According to a Bloomberg survey, privatepayrolls
increased by 250,000 jobs (190,000 estimated). Payrollsin commodity industries such as manufacturing,buildingand construction
rose 28,000 and 16,000 respectively and serviceproviders added 222,000 to payrolls. So,with a seemingly booming economy and
low unemployment rate, hovering around 4.1%, where are all the truck drivers?
In my lastedition of this blogon Dec. 13, I discussed ELD implementation, how it could affect the industry and preparingfor
the “switch”. Itreally could not have come at a worse time, right before Christmas and New Years and, on top of that, we havebeen
dealingwith a steadily declining pool of drivers in the trucking industry with a simultaneous steady increasein the number of loads.
All of these things combined have created the “perfect storm” in which the carriersthatdecided to ride itout, comply with the ELD
mandate and make itwork for them, are really cashingin on the driver shortage with the highest RPM rates we have seen since
2015.
The US will need more than 100,000 additional driversin the next 7 years, accordingto CareerCast. Not nearly that many
drivers left the industry becauseof ELDs. Whatdid happen is thatover the pastseveral years many older drivers areretiringand,if
someone replaces them, they don’t make a career out of trucking. The increasein the number of kids goingto collegehasn’t helped
either. There are not enough jobs out there for every young adultthat graduates with a Bachelor degree in Accounting, Finance,
Management or some other discipline,but there IS a job out there for every graduate that learns a trade such as welding,
pipefitting,plumbing…professional truck drivingneeds to be on this listas well.Unfortunately, it seems that schools don’ttalk about
how profitabledrivingas a profession can be and seem to want to steer every kid in the direction of a 4-year university,puttingmost
of them in more debt and makingless money than they could havemade spending4 years on the road. Finally,thenew generation
that is getting into the workforce (Millennials) arenotflockingto drivingjobs.They are wanting to spend more time at home, are
attracted to jobs in the ever-growing tech field and livein the age of abundance. All of these things combined, have caused the
capacity “crunch”we now see.
So how do we attract more drivers to the industry? Easy…make it appealingto a new generation. What once worked,
doesn’t anymore? Seeing the country, freedom to make your own path and seemingly unlimited earningpotential now can all be
done from the comfort of your livingroom,in front of a computer monitor. The new generation wants benefits, work flexibility,
401K, retirement, a clear career path and MONEY. If you want to contend with other jobs,the antiquated way of thinking must end.
You arecompeting on a global marketnow and job creation is happeningfaster than anytime before in history. The population is
growing and the world is getting ‘smaller’which means more and more loads will beon the road.Don’t wait to make the necessary
changes in your recruitingmodel or its goingto be too late. The SHRM predicts that every time a business replaces an employee, it
costs 6-9 months of that employee’s salary JUST in recruiting and trainingexpenses.Attracting great drivers is thesilver,keeping
them is the gold and the only way to do that is to make professional drivingattractive…again.Bestof luck to everyone in our
industry and God Bless our drivers that keep America moving.
Joey Holder, CTL
Director of SatelliteOperations
Eagle Transportation,LLC.
To become a shipper for Eagle Transportation, please visit our website at www.eagletran.com/customers
To see open positions, go to www.eagletran.com/careers
To see if you are eligibleto become a driver for Eagle, pleasecontact Drew Bradshawat drewbradshaw@eagletran.com