The American Trucking Association (ATA) made an interesting point in a blog recently.
Citing articles about the rate of turnover of drivers in the trucking industry they said, " If 91% percent of truck drivers were quitting the industry within a year, our economy would have collapsed a long time ago."
That certainly is a reality check. While there is a trucking shortage, which this group estimated would hit 80,000 last year, it doesn't mean the whole industry is falling apart.
But using turnover to indicate how many people are leaving the industry, isn't the whole story. " Rather, it more accurately measures drivers moving between carriers. It captures churn within the industry—not attrition from the industry. While retirements and exits account for a small percentage of turnover, by in large that is not what this figure is counting," says the ATA.
As to why drivers are moving between companies, they believe the two major reasons are demand and opportunity. ( Read the full blog here.)
And that this group wants potential drivers to know that truck driving is still a good career choice.
