Heavy Duty Trucking, August 2019

HDT AUGUST 2019 72 WWW TRUCKINGINFO COM Driver Turnover Remains Low for Private Fleets 200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019000005010015020 Although labor issues remain a significant challenge for respondents to the National Private Truck Councils annual survey they continue to report retention and turnover performance far better than their for hire colleagues This year private fleets reported turnover at 169 up a point and a half over last years 154 average turnover Just three years ago turnover surpassed the 18 barrier for the first time in the history of the survey This level of turnover is not inconsistent with the aging workforce and the increased number of drivers opting for retirement The escalating turnover rate while not in the neighborhood of the triple digit rate traditionally associated with the for hire truckload segment should be of concern especially in the face of the projected shortfall of new drivers which many fleets are experiencing and which could reach 175000 by 2024 according to industry projections DRIVERS SOURCE NATIONAL PRIVATE TRUCK COUNCIL Employment of Truck Drivers vs Blue Collar Workers 2003 2016 Nominal Earnings of Truck Drivers and Blue Collar Workers 2003 2016 20032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016 HEAVY TRUCK DRIVERS LIGHT OR DELIVERY TRUCK DRIVERS AND DRIVER SALES WORKERS BLUE COLLAR WORKERS EXCLUDING TRUCK DRIVERS ALL TRUCK DRIVERS HEAVY TRUCK DRIVERS BLUE COLLAR WORKERS EXCLUDING TRUCK DRIVERS 030000600009000012000015000020032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016 HEAVY TRUCK DRIVERS LIGHT OR DELIVERY TRUCK DRIVERS AND DRIVER SALES WORKERS BLUE COLLAR WORKERS EXCLUDING TRUCK DRIVERS 0500000010000000150000002000000025000000300000003500000020032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016 ALL TRUCK DRIVERS HEAVY TRUCK DRIVERS BLUE COLLAR WORKERS EXCLUDING TRUCK DRIVERS 0300006000090000120000150000 While it appears that truck drivers are at an earnings disadvantage relative to nondriving blue collar workers this disadvantage is only evidence of an earnings gap between light or delivery truck drivers and driver sales workers on the one hand and blue collar workers on the other point estimates of the earnings of heavy truck drivers exceed those of other blue collar workers throughout the period The stability of trucking employment over the past 14 years provides some evidence of a tight labor market for truck drivers the demand for drivers has remained strong while the demand for workers with low levels of education has declined substantially in other sectors SOURCE U S BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS CHARACTERISTIC FOR HIRE DRIVERS PRIVATE CARRIAGE DRIVERS Real hourly wage 2050 1870 Usual hours 488 455 Union percent 1880 1690 White non Hispanic percent 6430 6560 Black non Hispanic percent 1480 1150 Other race non Hispanic percent 310 270 Hispanic percent 1780 2020 Less than high school diploma percent 1270 1540 High school diploma percent 5640 5690 Some college associate or vocational degree percent 2580 2320 College degree or higher percent 510 440 Characteristics of Workers Who Report Full Time Employment as a Truck Driver SOURCE U S BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS