CDL Driver Shortage Insanity!

Can we please stop the insanity!?

By Kevin Rettberg

Ok ok ok. We all know there is a commercial driver shortage; however, why must we continue to go down the same road with the same attitude, where the only outcome is reaching insanity. Those of you who have been in the commercial transportation space know this insanity I speak of. Are you tired of the same responses to our problems? The drivers, the logistic issues, the supply chain woes, etc. Where do we begin? Let’s start with the commercial truck driver shortage.?

Maybe the only way to sump up this entire driver shortage mindset is by using a metaphor. Imagine a group of people live on an island where a large percentage of the inhabitants do the ONE job that is needed most: they row a boat to a nearby island for supplies and then row that full boat back. Our boaters are in need, without them the island doesn’t survive. This doesn’t mean all boaters are perfect, and despite the island’s best efforts, there are issues and boat accidents. However, the boats always come and go, as does the supplies.?

Life is good on the island, so the island spends money on infrastructure to make travel safer. The island creates a lot of regulations on boaters to keep them from harms way. Some regulations improve safety, as there are less accidents, but there are also unintended consequences. The job of being a boater is greatly diminished. It’s not attractive. After decades of being undervalued and overlooked, many boaters realize this job is just not worth it. Boaters leave the industry for other island jobs. Who could blame them.

This undervaluation of labor starts to make in impact. The island needs supplies, and there are not enough boaters to get them. What does the island do to rectify this problem? Well if they were in our commercial transportation industry, we would just declare a new pilot program. A program where ask the most inexperienced boaters among us to navigate the sea with a sprinkle of training, in a Titanic size of a boat, and suggest to the islanders that all will be just fine. I’m sorry, come again??

Why is it most hiring professionals look for relevant experience to a job when hiring someone? Typically for good reason. They are looking for existing skills and abilities, as well as a proven track record of success. The point is we have so many qualified and skilled commercial truck drivers amongst us today, but we treat them like pirates. We have terrific drivers who could fill positions, but they have been cast off, undervalued and overlooked. This is the real shame because the value of this lost experience is priceless. Somehow treating our current workforce with respect, dignity, and value is not worth it. “Fill our trucks with the most inexperienced drivers amongst us,” we declare. What other licensed profession does this?

Stop the insanity already. We need to treat existing drivers with respect. If we are transparent and accountable, and they will listen. If we are trustworthy, they will return the same. If we are fair and honest, and they will finish the drive every time. Investing in our drivers solves problems today and tomorrow. Very simply, we must become driver centric. If we do that, then we agree to stop pushing all of them out of the boat.