The American Trucking Associations (ATA) revealed in a recent report that the county is facing a shortage of 80,000 truck drivers. This is a 30 percent increase from before the pandemic, when the industry was already short 61,500 truckers.
However, an article by Quartz argues that the trucking industry’s problem isn’t labor shortage – it’s retention. According to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, states issue more than 45,000 new commercial driver’s licenses each year, making truck driving the most common job in 29 states.
So, what’s the real culprit behind the trucker shortage? It’s the fact that this job is characterized by poor working conditions, with some borderline labor violations. Two of the most common hardships truck drivers face are low wages and an increased risk of personal injuries.
The Reality of Truck Drivers
Many long-haul drivers work 70 hours a week and sleep in their vehicles for consecutive nights. They spend unpaid hours stuck in traffic or waiting for deliveries because they missed their appointments.
The ATA says that because of the unreasonable hours, the annual turnover of trucking companies averaged 94 percent from 1995 to 2017. This means that employers have to replace driver positions every year, which causes the labor shortage.
Wage and Compensation Issues
The trucking industry is rampant with horror stories of unreasonably low wages, which stems from many drivers being paid piece-rate. This puts truckers at a disadvantage because they’re only compensated according to their fulfillment, so the hours they spend on other tasks go unpaid.
This pay system hits harbor truckers the hardest. Only 20 percent of port drivers are paid per hour; most of them are paid per load. This means they will still receive the same pay no matter how long they wait at ports or warehouses.
The unjust wage is exacerbated by the backlog problem in ports. Shipyard containers are incredibly backlogged that the line to get inside the port terminal reaches as long as five miles. Harbor drivers wait up to eight hours in line just to get their cargo – and these hours slash their salary because they’re only paid per delivery.
Because of these work conditions, many truck drivers choose to abandon their jobs to work in industries with more reliable pay, such as fast food.
Piece-Rate Compensation
The unjust per-load pay system persists despite state laws on piece-rate compensation. California, for example, has instated a law stating that a worker’s piece-rate pay must not fall below the state’s minimum hourly wage of $14 (as of November 2021).
This means that if one delivery takes 11 hours to complete, the truck driver should receive at least $154 for that shipment alone.
Truck drivers are also entitled to separate compensation for their non-piece-rate hours. These hours include time spent for vehicle inspection and repairs, attending training and meetings, and trips delayed due to bad weather.
These laws on piece-rate compensation ensure that truck drivers get paid for all the hours they worked.
Health Consequences
Other than unfair wages, truck drivers are also prone to various injuries and health consequences.
First, they’re vulnerable to several types of ergonomic injuries. Sitting down for prolonged periods puts undue stress on their lower backs, arms, and necks, causing either minor sprains and strains or chronic conditions, such as joint degeneration and spinal dysfunction.
Many truckers also sleep in their vehicles for consecutive nights, which can be uncomfortable even if they have appropriate sleeping items. Poor sleep posture only aggravates drivers’ neck and back pain, making them even more vulnerable to long-term health consequences.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds that long-haul truck drivers are at higher risk of developing the following conditions:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Obesity
Research has also found that truck drivers are at risk of developing depression due to the long hours they spend on the road and away from their loved ones. Their lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and work-related stress contribute to their depressive symptoms as well.
Aside from the physical and mental health impacts of long-haul driving, truckers are also prone to accidents because of the nature of their job. Bad road conditions, inclement weather, faulty vehicles, and overfatigue compromise a trucker’s driving ability, resulting in auto accidents.
The Surface Transportation Assistance Act provides truck drivers with the following rights to lower their risk of getting into road accidents:
- Refuse to drive in inclement weather
- Refuse to drive while suffering from fatigue or an illness
- Refuse to drive a faulty, unchecked, or overloaded truck
- Refuse to violate Hours of Service (maximum amount of time drivers can be on duty, including driving and non-driving time)
Truck drivers can also file a personal injury claim against their employer for negligence. Let’s say, for example, a fleet manager forced a trucker to drive an unchecked vehicle, which ended up causing a road accident.
This can be considered an act of negligence from the employer. They can be held liable for the incident even though the driver was operating the vehicle.
Upholding the Rights of Truck Drivers
The bottom line is that the truck driver shortage is caused by adverse working conditions. More and more truckers are leaving the industry for jobs that have better work conditions and compensation.
Trucker rights movements are calling for better pay for commercial truck drivers. Truckers Movement for Justice, for instance, is pushing for a base pay for harbor drivers, with the motto “All hours worked, all hours paid.”
Truck drivers are also encouraged to speak up about the injustices they face. If they think their employer is not paying them right or is exposing them to unsafe work conditions, they should seek legal assistance to get the compensation they deserve.
Aggressive Representation for Truck Drivers
Truck Driver Rights strives to protect the rights of truckers, giving them the legal support and representation they need to pursue compensation. Representing drivers in lawsuits and class actions, our lawyers will help you recover lost wages, contest unfair compensation, and resolve other legal issues.
Call Truck Driver Rights at 877-700-0009 or complete the free consultation form, and let’s discuss your case.