It takes a special breed of driver to want to accept the challenges of meeting deadlines, deal with traffic, and ever-changing rules. The problem is there aren’t enough of them in Oklahoma City, OK and other locations that Bay & Bay Transportation serves across the United States.
While the Marines have always looked for a few good men (and women, in keeping with the times), the trucking industry is doing the same. Retailers are in a squeeze over shipping demands and the transportation industry can’t keep up.
The latest numbers from the American Trucking Associations suggest there could be a shortage of around 50,000 truck drivers across the country. This impact will be felt in the bottom lines of businesses and consumers alike.
Amazon recently boosted the fee for its Prime membership by $20 dollars per/year. Part of the hike is being blamed on rising shipping costs. Demand to move freight is also high when you figure that about 70 percent of what’s delivered to homes and stores arrives by truck.
While recruiters are busy trying to attract drivers in Oklahoma City and elsewhere, there are other factors to consider. The trucking lifestyle isn’t exactly attractive to women, drivers put in long hours and often end up sleeping in their rigs, many young drivers are hard to insure, and new electronic monitoring is also restricting the number of hours a driver can work on an average day.
The ATA predicts there’s a need for nearly 900,000 more drivers over the next decade to keep up with growth, demand, and expected retirements. If the current trends continue, companies and consumers alike will likely be stuck with the trickle-down effects of the current driver shortage.
Bay & Bay Transportation isn’t alone as it works to keep a growing list of customers satisfied with on-time deliveries. It comes down to finding experienced pros who have a bit of “road warrior” in them. Along with competitive pay and benefits, Bay & Bay has opportunities for those who prefer being a company driver, an independent operator, or would like to take advantage of our lease purchase program.
Bay & Bay is known as a quality driven tradition. If you’ve got the right stuff, call (888) 801-3026, or visit our web page for more details and information about how you can join our growing team in the Oklahoma City area and dozens of other places we deliver nationwide.