Smile and wave at a trucker

Chances are the driver is carrying something that you need!        

CB radios, Smokey and the Bandit, and kids pumping their fists up and down in hopes of a horn blast as the family car passed by an 18 wheeler.

There was a time when we celebrated the men and women who drove these trucks across the country. Whether or not this public celebration continues into this day, it should.

70% of our nation's goods, 12 billion pounds of them, are delivered by these trucks. 92% of dairy, fruit, vegetables, and nuts. 91% of lumber. 82% of agricultural products. The value of this industry is approaching $1 trillion dollars, and its overall importance to the economy exceeds easy calculation.

The trucking industry itself claims it has a driver shortage (80,000+ according to the American Trucking Association), while outside experts think the claim bogus and simply a move to claim more federal assistance (US government subsidies support truck driver training).

The driver of the big rig is not concerned with such matters. Their concerns are rooted in doing better than the industry average of $50,000 per year, health and lifestyle issues, and communications.

The average driver is constantly moving from company to company looking for the best rate per mile. The driver is also looking for a company that provides more than just the best pay; he or she is also seeking a company with transparent pay practices and a system that allows for the most efficient schedule of load pickup and delivery.

Drivers are paid for driving, which seems obvious. What is not so obvious is that they are not paid waiting to have a truck loaded, or unloaded. They are not often paid for a "dead-head" drive with an empty truck to get a new load. When the driver waits, they are not paid.

After eight hours of driving, a rest is mandatory. After 11 hours of driving, 10 hours of rest is required by law. Meals come from fast food and gas station hot plates. At the end of a long day of driving, there is the challenge of finding safe parking to allow for a few hours of sleep.

The thought of sleeping night after night on the bed in the photo above makes it easy to understand why drivers look for as much home time as can be had. For many drivers, home time is scarce.

It is by any measure a lonely occupation, and individual drivers are far more common than couples who have chosen to drive together as a shared profession. No one ever wants to feel like a small cog in a giant machine, but with endless miles of pavement rolling under their tires and no sound but the music of the radio to break the monotony, it is easy to understand why a driver might feel under appreciated. Companies with open and frequent communication to the driver generally have better retention when all else is equal.

The best trucking companies (some large and some just getting started) recognize the importance of the driver and are making concerted efforts to improve the driver experience. Better pay, more home time, and a stronger cadence of communication make for a happy driver and reduce driver turnover.

Most big rig drivers who saw a kid flailing an arm responded with a wide smile and a pull on the horn cable. It made our day, and it may have also done the same for that driver. It may have been a youthful way to extend our thanks, but it showed appreciation for the person behind the wheel and for the industry without which all of our lives would be markedly different.