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BE PREPARED
THAT THERE IS a shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers in the mature markets of North America and Europe is not news: the problem has been around for several years now, but that situation is becoming more acute, if not critical. An ageing pool of existing drivers, a profession that does not appear to appeal to the young, and competition from locally based home delivery services have all contributed to a position where the demand for freight transportation is beginning to outstrip the availability of drivers to satisfy it.
requirements, safety concerns, lifestyle choices including time away from family, compensation and other factors make recruitment of drivers difficult.” Matlack also notes that the driver shortage is particularly severe in the tank truck sector, especially in the transport of chemicals, where there are more stringent requirements for driver experience and safety. “The impacts associated with a shortage of drivers will increase as the country re-opens and industrial production and the economy
IDLE TIME Under the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours of Service (HOS) regulations, commercial drivers are permitted to work for 11 hours per day; however, Matlack notes, research by MIT Freight Lab published in May 2020 indicates that they spend on average only seven hours a day on the move. “Clearly there is room for improving efficiency and miles travelled,” Matlack says. “The time drivers spend loading and unloading in depots, terminals and manufacturing facilities, as well as time spent on breakdowns and equipment repairs contribute to delivery delays and increase the cost of goods.” During times of shortage, whatever the asset being considered, it makes sense to get more out of the available assets – and that includes drivers. Reducing gate-in to gate-out times is an obvious target but, at present, there are many barriers to improving driver
In the face of a lack of effective action by governments, haulage companies have been taking the initiative, offering steadily increasing wage rates and investing in cleaner and more comfortable cabs for their drivers. But still the number of active drivers declines. At Matlack Leasing puts it: “Regulatory
rebound,” the company says. While new technologies are in development and some regulatory action is likely, in the near term there is an immediate need to increase the time drivers spend on the road. That will be fine for drivers: they want to drive, not hang around waiting.
efficiency as they are dependent on a range of external parties, not least when operating as part of port logistics. While some factors affecting efficiency are not within the control of the operator or the port – inclement weather, road construction activity and, to an extent, traffic congestion – others can be
DRIVERS • TACKLING THE WIDESPREAD DRIVER SHORTAGE IS NO EASY TASK BUT, AS MATLACK LEASING SAYS, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS OPERATORS AND SHIPPERS CAN DO TO HELP
HCB MONTHLY | JULY/AUGUST 2021
