Here are some headlines from the commercial trucking industry that show continued growth and higher demand for CDL trained drivers. Website promotes women in trucking A website from the Women in Trucking Associations hopes to promote the truck driving profession to prospective candidates. Called 鈥淚 heart Trucking鈥� the website allows current drivers to upload their own videos explaining why they love driving a commercial truck for a living. One video showcased amazing sunsets over the horizon while on the road, while another featured a female driver talking about all the states she had visited and the natural…
Category: Blog
Growth leads to truck driver shortage
During a press conference this summer, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) released its 25th Annual 鈥淪tate of Logistics Report, which showed that total U.S. business logistics costs in 2013 rose to $1.39 trillion, a 2.3 percent increase from the previous year. Furthermore, 鈥渓ogistics as a percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) declined for the second year in a row, indicating that the logistics sector is not keeping pace with the growth in the overall economy,鈥� reported Manufacturing.net. The Maufacturing.net article on the report also stated that consultant Rosalyn Wilson of Parsons, who authored the…
Ports experience traffic issues
More trucks on the road means more traffic, and that is causing problems at some of the nation鈥檚 biggest shipping ports. 鈥淥regon Gov. John Kitzhaber has asked the Port of Portland to 鈥榮eek immediate independent review鈥� of equipment dockworkers say has caused excessive wait times for truckers at one port terminal,鈥� reported OverdriveOnline.com. 鈥淜itzhaber鈥檚 request marks the second time in six weeks the Democrat governor has intervened in problems at the port鈥檚 Terminal 6, Oregon鈥檚 only deep-draft container terminal.鈥� The article stated that delays have resulted in trucking companies reportedly charging a per-trip surcharge to serve T6 and…
Trucking report shows growth
Economic news has been mixed as of late, but economists saw two trucking reports show the economy is headed in the right direction. 鈥淭he American Trucking Associations鈥� Truck Tonnage Index was up 1 percent in May after a revised 0.9 percent gain in April,鈥� reports The City Wire. 鈥淔or the first five months of 2014, tonnage is up 2.9 percent compared to the same period in 2013, according to the ATA index. The index is off just 1 percent from the all-time high in November 2013 (131.0).鈥� Trucking shipments were also up by 1 percent. 鈥淣orth American…
Health becoming a focus for truck carriers
Unlike in years past, truck carriers are paying closer attention to the health and wellness of their drivers, especially as they work to attract the nation鈥檚 best drivers with the best CDL training. 鈥淭he truck is, in essence, the driver鈥檚 home and he (or she) is happier in better equipment,鈥� said Tyler LaBarge, managing partner for CDL Career Now. 鈥淭o take it one step further, perhaps fleet owners should ask the drivers for input on their truck order鈥檚 component specifications. Because these trucks are in essence their home on the road and so the better accommodations they have, the…