The Driver Shortage: Are We Headed Over a Cliff?

The nationwide driver shortage just won't go away. And shippers are paying the price. It seems as though nobody wants to drive a truck anymore. So much for the romantic image of the long-haul trucker: the job has lost any appeal that it might once have had. The hours are long and grueling, and the compensation inadequate. That, at least, appears to be the main reasons behind the persistent shortfall of qualified drivers – around 30,000 each year, according to the American Trucking Associations. The average age of U.S. truckers today is 55, and younger people aren't interested in taking their place. Yet nearly 70 percent of total freight volumes are carried by the trucking industry. Something's got to give. On this episode, we talk to Bobby Harris, chief executive officer of BlueGrace Logistics. He explains how we were brought to this state of affairs, what it's costing shippers and American consumers, and what might be done to alleviate the problem.