Addressing the retention crisis in the trucking industry

Experts say: the industry needs to move away from the persistent narrative of a so-called driver shortage.

On Wednesday, June 18, an online event organized by the newsletter The Inside Lane took place, titled “Where Is the Next Generation? Addressing the Trucking Talent Network Crisis.” The event featured prominent industry members as panelists, including Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA); Lindsey Trent, President of the Next Generation in Trucking Association; and Robert Pierson, Vice President of Driver Recruiting at Mesilla Valley Transportation.

Since its inception, OOIDA has been a strong advocate for fair working conditions for truckers, and Pugh did not hesitate to share his views on one of the industry’s most pressing issues: driver recruitment and retention. Large trucking companies often face turnover rates exceeding 90%. According to Pugh, while companies manage to attract a new generation of drivers each year, they struggle to retain them due to low wages and harsh working conditions.

“As an industry, we have to own up to our problems if we want the job to actually be attractive,” said Pugh during the event, as reported by Land Line.

Shortage or retention: what’s the real issue in the industry?

Long-haul truckers are typically paid by the mile and spend weeks away from home. On top of that, they face a nationwide shortage of truck parking and are often denied access to restrooms at shipper and receiver facilities. These conditions contribute to the high turnover rate in the industry. As Pugh pointed out, no worker is willing to give away 20 extra hours of unpaid service, far from their family, just to solve such basic issues as finding a place to park.

During the discussion, Pugh emphasized that the real issue isn’t a lack of new drivers, but the industry’s inability to keep them. “Every year, lots of people enter the industry. The problem is they don’t stay… Our industry needs a lot of self-reflection and self-repair,” he said. He also stressed the need to move away from the persistent narrative of a so-called driver shortage.

Pugh’s comments are supported by the 2024 Driver Compensation Study by the National Academies of Sciences, which found that claims of a driver shortage contradict basic economic principles of supply and demand. Similarly, a 2023 study by economist Stephen V. Burks and his team concluded that no actual shortage exists. The U.S. Department of Labor also released a report stating that the issue isn’t a lack of drivers, but rather poor wages and working conditions. According to the report, any labor supply problems could be addressed by raising pay, Land Line reported.

Real change to reduce driver turnover

According to the panelists, improving driver retention starts with ensuring fair wages and working conditions. OOIDA has backed several pieces of legislation toward this goal, including the GOT Truckers Act, which would require overtime pay for truckers working more than 40 hours a week; the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which proposes a $755 million investment in new parking areas; and the Bathroom Access for Truckers Act, which would mandate that shippers and receivers allow drivers to use their restroom facilities.

Pierson agreed that carriers with turnover rates above 90% need to make significant changes. Lindsey Trent added that reducing unpaid wait times would also help make the profession more appealing, while Lewie Pugh suggested that Generation Z could be key in driving change within the industry.