Food Shippers: Drivers’ Problems Are Their Problems

Watch Issues Making Drivers’ Jobs Harder

Fuel prices were the top concern of the trucking industry in 2022 and an even bigger concern for food shippers running reefers that burn more fuel. Food shippers hauling dry goods are disproportionally impacted as well. “In the food and beverage industry, there’s more of a tendency for delays at shippers and consignees than there is in the general freight population. So that fuel issue becomes more pronounced,” Leathers says.

Food shippers should also note that speed limiters were the number ten industry issue in 2022.

Leathers says Werner has already adopted speed limiters into its fleet because of the safety benefits for its drivers and the motoring public. However he notes there would be potential trade-offs if the federal government mandates them industry-wide. Leathers predicts transit times would likely increase, causing potential freshness issues for food shippers.

Speed limiters as well as parking (the number three industry issue) and delays (the number six industry issue) make drivers’ jobs harder and contribute to the driver shortage—a top industry issue for four of the past five years. As challenging as the general driver shortage is, it’s even more challenging in the food and beverage sector. “Food and beverage is less trailer friendly, meaning less open to drop trailer equipment. And it requires more driver engagement and waiting. That makes it more difficult to hire drivers,” Leathers says.

Address Top Issues to be Considered a Shipper of Choice

Both Murray and Leathers point out that although most of the top ten trucking industry issues appear to be out of food shippers’ and receivers’ hands, they can improve parking for truckers and reduce delays at their facilities. In doing so, shippers have a hand in improving these issues as well as the macro issues of the driver shortage and driver retention (the number seven industry issue), “In our other research a few years back, driver detention was worst at food and refrigerated goods facilities. Driver detention will very quickly frustrate truck drivers and drive them out of the industry,” Murray says.

Leathers adds that creating a welcoming environment that doesn’t make drivers wait and that provides parking can help food manufacturers and distributors become a shipper of choice “Regardless of the macroeconomic conditions or the current supply-demand imbalances that may exist at any point in the cycle, you are always going to receive benefits from being a shipper of choice,” he explains.

To learn what else shippers can do to earn that status with carriers, Leathers says shippers only need to look at the top ten issues of commercial drivers which are broken out separately in the ATRI report— then ask themselves what they could do on their end.

Peripheral Issues Affect Food Shippers

Murray points out that it’s important not to ignore the issues that don’t appear to impact food shippers or seem outside their control. The driver shortage and driver retention determine the truck capacity food shippers compete for. Rising trailer costs and driver compensation affect trucking rates for all shippers. He says even lawsuit abuse reform (the number ten industry issue) impacts food shippers because damages and rising insurance premiums cost carriers more every year.

The worst part, Murray says, is that these costs are inflationary. “Carriers don’t eat the margin, they pass it on,” he explains. And he adds that the cost per mile of operating a truck is at an all-time high, per ATRI’s Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2022 Update.

What should food shippers focus on?

Shippers should improve what’s close to home, Leathers counsels. Yes, continue to fight against lawsuit abuse and other issues. But he says food shippers should prioritize things they can control like driver delays, facility amenities, driver treatment and operational efficiencies that help get drivers in and out quickly.

In analyzing the top issues for drivers, Murray observes that focusing on driver issues will resolve bigger issues. As an example, he says that fixing the truck parking problem will help make trucking safer and more attractive to women which could help lessen the driver shortage.

Examples like parking and reducing driver delays highlight the potential for solving major industry issues through collaboration that supports drivers and capacity concurrently.