There is a continuing stream of press about the shortage of over-the-road truck drivers in the country today. Right now, the shortage is estimated at 125,000 fewer drivers than are necessary to meet demand. According to the Department of Labor and FTR Associates, this shortage will more than double by the end of 2013, the largest deficit in nine years. In 2012, turnover averaged 98% at the large carriers and 82% at the smaller operations.

Depending on which side of the fence you are sitting, the shortage is blamed on such things as CSA 2010 activity, reduced hours-of-service rules, and traffic delays caused by infrastructure. However, the most recent data shows that the average salary for an over-the-road driver in 2011 was $39,830. This is not exactly an overwhelming amount when you consider the hours, working conditions, bad food, and the impact on personal and family life. If the economy continues to improve, I suspect even more drivers will turn to other occupations where they can make an increased salary and be more like normal people.

While some carriers are trying to deal with the salary situation, it will take an industry-wide effort to make a significant impact. The carriers must be prepared to face cost increases; but more importantly, shippers must recognize that to get the service they need, they must pay more.

Long-time readers of The Link may recall last year's April Fool's Day post: Truck driver shortage officially over. I had a little fun with this prankster holiday, describing how three (non-existent) trucking companies were dealing with the growing shortage of available truck drivers.

One of these (rhetorical) carriers addressed the problem by adopting a system of "Remote Tractor Operation," recruiting users from online video games to operate tractor-trailers from home and incentivizing good driving with digital badges.

The tongue-in-cheek post outlined potential controversies:

As veteran industry commentator Buck Carville noted, "Many of these remote 'drivers' have never been behind the wheel of a rig." Many have expressed concern that the position of vehicle operator will complicate industry regulations, ultimately leading to a revision of CSA rules. Others assert that because no one is driving these trucks, the FMCSA would have no authority to define operator hours of service or whether an operator would be allowed to use multiple monitors to control multiple vehicles.

Since publishing that post, projects such as Google's driverless cars have gained traction in the news, and Florida and California have joined Nevada in passing laws approving driverless cars.

We may wish to describe this passenger transport system as passive driving, as the person in the driver's seat is not relieved of all responsibilities; for example, Nevada stipulates that the person behind the wheel "may not 'drive' drunk." Beyond potential for consumer use, there has been little debate in the US over the commercial potential of driverless or passive-driving vehicles.

In Japan, a prototype of a truly driverless operation of freight trucks is undergoing testing. On February 25, NEDO, Japan's largest public R&D organization, demonstrated a convoy of four tractor-trailers, which was an update of the three-vehicle convoy it unveiled in 2010. These vehicles, which would not be guided remotely by human operators, can communicate with each other within 20 milliseconds. NEDO plans to have a driverless transport system functioning by 2020.

As new transportation models test a shift from active driving (the current system) to passive and even driverless driving, how do you think the supply chain industry will be affected?

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Transportation vehicles are the basic requirements for transporting the products from one place to another. However, different products and machines have different transportation requirements. Industrial machinery; cumbersome equipment like excavators, tractors and graders; overweight items and fabricated products require heavy-hauling transportation trailers that are specifically manufactured for this purpose. The heavy-haul equipment transportation includes the shipping of heavy machinery and other materials. Handling these transportation vehicles is a challenging job and requires professional skills.

The most commonly faced challenge is to drive these vehicles on the open roads. It is not a cup of tea for normal drivers and requires professionals who are trained to move these huge and large vehicles between different locations. Special management skills are essential to handle the huge vehicle on the road. It is essential to keep the people as well as the equipment loaded in the vehicle safe and sound.

There are various kinds of hauling trailers that are used in the process, and most of the companies prefer to go for professionals who can handle and drive the vehicle with comfort. The two common types of trailers include the open flatbed trailers and closed trailers and are capable enough of even carrying an airplane. Another important requirement for managing the hauling trailer is to distribute the weight of the goods equally so that there exists a balance and prevents the issues of rundown. In order to prevent the shifting of goods during transit, it is necessary to strap them in an appropriate manner.

The closed trailers are also used for transporting heavy goods and are mostly preferred when there are possibilities that the shipment might get damaged due to weather conditions. No matter whether you use an open trailer or a closed one, it is essential that it is manufactured to transport heavy equipment and hence capable of holding huge weight. The truck that is used to move the trailer should also be designed keeping these requirements in mind.

Driving and working with these trailers is not an easy task and requires professionalism. Therefore, most of the companies in this business provide training to their employees who are appointed to handle these hauling trailers. Proper sessions are scheduled to explain to them the importance of weight distribution and the way of driving the vehicle on an open road. The most challenging job is to drive an open flatbed trailer, as it is very low. The drivers who are perfect are only allowed to handle these vehicles as it involves huge risk of injuries and severe accidents on the road. Proper precautions need to be taken while cornering and turning.

The companies in this business are well aware of the risk and challenges associated with the business, and hence they take proper care and precautions in order to prevent any mishap on the road. Most of the firms charge their customers on the basis of the equipment and distance. Proper training and interactive sessions are an effective way of training newcomers who are interested in taking up the challenging job of driving these vehicles.

This post was contributed by Philip Hicks, who blogs on behalf of Loadstar Transportation, the leading heavy-haul transportation company among the trucking companies in Alberta, providing excellent logistics and transportation services across North America.

Keep on truckin'. (Source)

During the past several years, we have read and heard thousands of words on the truck driver shortage in the country. There is no doubt that a shortage exists. Let's face it; long hours, government intervention, marginal rest facilities, bad roads, bad food and relatively low pay tend to push truck driving pretty far down on most of our lists of ambitions. Unfortunately, we have heard so much about the subject, with widely varying descriptions of the problem, many of us have taken a rather "ho hum" position on the issue. We need to wake up, however. For shippers, fewer drivers add up to less capacity and higher costs. It is not just a carrier problem. It affects all of us.

This month, Bob Costello of the American Trucking Associations published an update which should be of major concern. Costello estimates a current shortage of 20,000 – 25,000 drivers for the over-the-road carriers; but this is expected to explode to 239,000 by 2022. Hours of service regulations and the CSA program are expected to decrease productivity, further exacerbating the problem.

Trucker dog guards the tractor. (Source)

And it is not all about money. It is a lifestyle issue that will not be resolved by a few dollars per hour. Shippers need to work with carriers and drivers in an effort to make the job more "comfortable" and less stressful. Facilities for drivers at many shippers' and receivers' facilities are substandard, at best, and in some cases, there are no provisions for female drivers at all. Improvements can be inexpensive. For example, a significant number of drivers travel with their dogs, and some companies have provided a place for drivers to walk their dogs, as well as made sure there are always a few dog treats on hand. These firms have experienced a marked difference in the service they are provided.

We would do well to remember that happy truck drivers contribute greatly to the success of the nation's supply chain.

The trucking industry has long predicted a critical shortage of professional drivers. In 2005, Global Insight’s research for the American Trucking Associations forecasted a shortage of 111,000 drivers by 2014. Even high national unemployment rates have not attracted enough new drivers to replace retiring Baby Boomers. Three motor carriers are pioneering solutions that promise to revive an understaffed industry.

Social media generates interest in long-haul trucking careers

Trent Camion, Hiring Manager for Stonefield Shipping, attributes the shortage to generational differences. Stonefield uses social media to reach a younger generation of workers. "Pinterest is the new Red Sovine," said Camion.

Stonefield Shipping pins, or bookmarks, links to trucking-related tutorials using the photo sharing website. "Although young people don't know how to use tools, they love looking at other people's DIY projects," Camion explained. Recent posts included printable stencils for mud flaps and feng shui tips for sleeper berths.

Reducing wasteful packaging volume improves parcel delivery

Rather than focusing on recruiting more drivers, Dependable Deliverables is piloting a program to make package delivery more efficient. For two decades, the parcel carrier has regretted transporting boxes that were too big for the items inside. But how could it avoid a packaging problem that originates with its customers?

The Dependable Deliverables website describes an "innovative, eco-friendly" method to remove excess air and reduce the need for packaging peanuts. In The Link’s exclusive first look, Jenn Weston, Vice-President of Operations, elaborated:

"We crush all non-fragile parcels before loading them onto the trucks. It's like stepping in a trash can to avoid taking it out half-empty. It's the responsible thing to do."

Originally a manual task, workers soon improved upon the process of cardboard compression via forklifts and pallet jacks. Loading areas display posters emblazoned with the acronym B.D.B.U.B.C.B. to remind workers of the policy: Break Down Boxes (Unless Boxes Contain Breakables).

Although Dependable Deliverables has been successful in fitting more shipments into its trucks, Weston admitted that the solution has its own limitations. "We have witnessed a sea change. Since B.D.B.U.B.C.B. was introduced last month, we have seen demand for fragile goods delivery increase 900% among our regular clients. Yesterday, we filled an entire truck with parcels marked 'fragile.'" Increased demand for fragile shipping services was attributed to the economy.

Dependable Deliverables forecasts that demand for standard shipping will normalize as customers recognize its reliable service in transporting even their most precious cargo.

Technology, outsourcing eases truck driver shortage

Good news for anyone who thinks that solving the trucker shortage is as easy as flipping a switch. Electron Trucking has found a way to do just that.

Remote Tractor Operation, R.T.O. for short, allows truckers to work from home. Space in the tractor that would have been occupied by a driver can be used for additional storage.

Highly sensitive sensors enable a 5-axle truck to be monitored and operated remotely. Sensors accelerate, brake, signal and steer. The person operating the vehicle uses video cameras in the mirrors to determine when the truck needs to be taken out of cruise control and into a more active mode, such as during heavy traffic.

To incentivize safe driving, Electron Trucking employs a badge-based system of virtual rewards, similar to that of Foursquare. Prospective employees are recruited from World of Warcraft. Vehicle operator applicants are tested for dexterity and response time in addition to knowledge of commercial driving regulations. Despite these precautions, this high-tech solution to the trucker shortage has raised some debate.

As veteran industry commentator Buck Carville noted, "Many of these remote 'drivers' have never been behind the wheel of a rig." Many have expressed concern that the position of vehicle operator will complicate industry regulations, ultimately leading to a revision of CSA rules. Others assert that because no one is driving these trucks, the FMCSA would have no authority to define operator hours of service or whether an operator would be allowed to use multiple monitors to control multiple vehicles.

Operators provide their own computer, Internet access and backup power generator. Because vehicle operators aren’t required to obtain CDL's, training is faster, less expensive and more practical for mom-and-pop carriers and owner-operators. Remote tractor operator Jamie Bruhl added, "I get paid twice as much as any other trucker. Because I have two computer monitors, I drive for two companies during the same shift. One time I got lucky -- the loads were going on the same highway, so I ran a little convoy with myself."

Image by NotrucksNolife | Editor's notes