Truck Association Video Counters Notion of Truck Driver Shortage

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association introduced a video countering the widely-covered topic that there is a shortage of truck drivers in the United States.

“We created this video because we are concerned that messaging in mainstream media is missing the mark on the issue of high turnover,” said Norita Taylor, director of public relations at OOIDA.  “The real problem is driver churn caused by low pay and poor working conditions.”

The video, which was produced in cooperation with the OOIDA Foundation, goes into details as to why there is actually not a shortage despite claims otherwise by the biggest carriers in the industry.

“The idea of a driver shortage has been around for decades and is typically used as an excuse to push other agendas that are not beneficial to small-business truckers,” said Taylor. “With turnover numbers reaching 98 percent and higher, we see a serious problem that can only be solved with compensation and better treatment of drivers.”

The video features OOIDA president Todd Spencer in combination with graphics that spell out how the numbers don’t support a shortage. “You can be profitable in trucking even with 100 percent turnover as we see all the time. No other business would be like that. It sacrifices a whole lot of things, not the least of which is highway safety,” said Spencer.

 

Category: Driver Stuff, General Update, News