Prior to March 2020, most Americans did not think about trucking and the supply chain. Store shelves were filled, and the global supply chain was synchronized for consistent and reliable movement of goods from the manufacturer to the consumer. For many Americans, it was if items appeared on store shelves by magic. And who could blame them for this thinking, when everything simply worked and worked well?
A recent Oracle survey confirmed that nearly half of all Americans never thought about how goods were delivered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The only time the supply chain was front-page news was during a natural disaster, such as a hurricane. Now, nearly 90 percent of Americans report they are mindful of the supply chain when making a purchase.
All this is playing out when one of the most crucial links in the supply chain, the American truck driver, is in the highest demand we’ve ever experienced. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) estimates the trucking industry is short about 80,000 drivers. This record-breaking statistic is the difference between the number of drivers currently in the market and the optimal number of drivers based on freight demand. Furthermore, the ATA estimates the trucking industry will need to recruit 1 million new drivers over the next decade to offset drivers that retire or quit the profession.
Truck drivers are frontline American heroes. Those joining the profession have an opportunity to pursue not just a transactional job, but a rewarding lifetime career that is essential to the everyday lives of Americans everywhere. From small-town America to our largest urban centers, opportunity awaits those who are ready to serve our nation. There has never been a better time to pursue a career as a professional truck driver.