Pools and Spas News published an article called “Industry Frustrated by Lean Trucking Lines” that expressed the frustrations that trucking companies are feeling when it comes to finding trucking companies to move their shipments, Aaron Fick, the manager that takes care of transportation for his company called BioLab, stated “We’re stressed with trying to get the product out and keep the forecast accurate at the distribution warehouse.  The days of being able to pick up a phone on a Friday afternoon and get a truck are behind us.”

The article states that 150,000 drivers have been lost nationwide since the recession began and that it’s due to two things. First, is that the bigger corporations are reducing their staff to survive the recession and second, that CSA 2010 is decreasing the pool through stricter guidelines enforced for the purpose for safety.

Another factor is retirement of the baby boomers.  With so many drivers retiring and less coming into the pipeline, this also creates a shortage in truck drivers and raising the wages of those drivers found.  The cost is passed onto the freight industry’s customers and thus creating these same customers to look for cheaper solutions for their transportation needs.  The railway is one direction they look and with the cut in cost, they are willing to delay shipment that truck trailers could speed up in time.

The good news in all of this negative economic and government changes is that the loss-of-drivers are not affecting states like Florida where they have plenty of drivers to help in shipping the customer needs.  Only the costs affect the customer, due to the recession draining the funds of the transportation industry.

http://poolspanews.com/2010/101/101n_trucking.html