In spite of news about large and uncertain shifts in the trucking industry, new drivers are not only in demand, but they are rising to the occasion. The need for new drivers has always been a constant, but now more than ever, the trucking industry is focusing on people to make the difference.

The Future Is Not Happening Now

While it is almost impossible to avoid articles about automated trucks and their impact on the future of the transportation industry, that is still years away. The manufacturers of automated trucks still have a lot of testing to do before they are ready. Additionally, laws and insurance need to catch up with the automated vehicle industry. If we add in the cost of what it will take to switch over to automated trucks, it simply makes more sense to focus on the here and now, than to worry about the future. Right now, human drivers are need in the industry, and skilled new drivers can keep the businesses moving forward.

Retiring Drivers

Right now, there are a number of truckers who are retiring or transitioning to different careers. New drivers are needed to fill those positions. These up and coming drivers can adapt to upcoming regulations, such as the ELD deadline slated for December of this year. Competition for new drivers has been so fierce among fleets, that many employers are now offering bonuses to drivers to sign on for contracts.

New Drivers And Independent Jobs

With the rise of trucking services offered by companies such as Amazon and Uber, new drivers can make a very comfortable living by picking up shipments and delivering them on their own, without having to be contracted to a large fleet. This has driven up the demand for new drivers at the major transportation companies, and the industry is seeing a salary hike to get these new drivers on board.

While the industry is gradually changing, and the future is still an uncertainty, there is still room at the top for new drivers. Fleets and other companies are offering more money to get skilled drivers under their roofs, and as older drivers reach retirements, the trucking industry as a whole will be ushering in new blood to fill the vacancies. So for now, it might be time to put our automatic robotic future on the back burner, and focus on what the trucking industry has always been about: people.