The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Finally! The Answer to the Driver Shortage!

During the last few weeks there have been several articles about the driver shortage. Even USA Today ran an article about how the driver shortage can halt or do damage to the economy.

At the same time trucking companies are posting extremely good profits because of the tight capacity.

Werner Enterprises Reports Record Operating Revenues and Earnings “I am pleased to report our twelfth consecutive quarter of improved year-over-year earnings. Despite rising costs for fuel and driver pay, we improved our operating margin by negotiating needed rate increases,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Clarence (C.L.) Werner. “Our freight volumes and service performance are at a high level as we move into the seasonally strongest period of the year.”

Even with high fuel and driver costs their sales team renegotiated higher rates with their customers.

Landstar nearly doubles 3Q earnings - 2004-10-14 - The Business Journal of Jacksonville

President and CEO Henry Gerkens said Landstar was able to handle the additional demand created by the hurricane without affecting regular customers.

“Landstar was able to source the capacity required for disaster relief efforts in Florida and throughout the Southeast while providing sufficient capacity to its regular customer base,” said Gerkens.

Landstar not only is making money they can have sufficient capacity during this driver shortage.

The Morning News :: Business :: Analyst Says J.B. Hunt Strong, Best Yet to Come

J.B. Hunt Transport Services may have posted record earnings in the third quarter, but an analyst said the company still has room to grow.

Who do you believe? I’m having trouble deciding if there’s really a shortage or not. Depending on the part of the country I’ve had to wait a few days for a good paying load. How bad of a shortage can it be if shippers and brokers are still offering anything under a dollar a mile?

Now I see this -

Fleets say they may need $65,000 drivers!Several major U.S. carriers say trucker pay has to increase to as much as $65,000 a year before fleets will have enough drivers to meet demand.

Covenant Transportation founder and CEO David Parker said his fleet expected to raise driver pay again in the first quarter of 2005, as many fleets did in 2004, but per-mile incremental pay raises may not be enough to draw the tens of thousands of drivers that the industry needs.