New Houston Trucking School to Meet Growing Demand for Truckers.
As per estimates, the truck driver shortage will drop from 78,000 drivers in 2022 to 64,000 drivers in 2023. However, relief is not expected to last for long as projections suggest that freight transportation will decline when the U.S. economy slows down early in 2024. This could lead to a record-high shortage of 82,000 truck drivers as both consumer and freight demand will increase again closer to 2024.
According to the forecast based on driver demographic trends, including gender and age, as well as expected freight growth, the American Trucking Association (ATA) Driver Shortage Press Release from October 2022, suggests the driver shortage could surpass 160,000 in 2031. Reports also state that the trucking industry would need to hire nearly 1.2 million drivers in 10 years.
The U.S. economy heavily depends on the trucking industry. Practically every product consumed by Americans is transported on trucks. As a result, the trucking industry moved 72.2% of all cargo in the United States in 2021, amounting to 10.93 billion tons. In the same year, the industry generated $875.5 billion in revenue, which represented 80.8% of the overall freight bill of the country. However, 2021 saw the truck driver shortage number rise to 81,258 – the highest in the country’s history.
“There is no denying that there is a truck driver shortage in the US. One of the main reasons for the truck driver shortage is the lack of qualified drivers. This can be addressed by providing comprehensive training. Bringing younger people into the trucking industry would help combat the high average age of interstate commercial truck drivers,” says Brad Ball, President of Roadmasters Driving School.
On Thursday, May 18th, between the hours of 11:00 am and 3:00 pm, members of the press, prospective students, and the public are warmly invited to the grand opening ceremony of Roadmaster’s new training facility at 1224 Normandy Street, Houston, Texas 77015.
Texas is widely regarded as the primary hub for trucking in the United States, owing to major shipping routes along the Gulf Coast, such as the Port of Houston, and numerous international highways that facilitate trade across the US-Mexico border. Houston Chronicle reports that almost 40% of truck drivers in Houston are immigrants, despite making up only a quarter of the population. Since 2000, the number of foreign-born drivers has nearly tripled in Texas to around 94,000 people, and they make up a quarter of the state's truckers.
Ball emphasizes that trucking remains a fulfilling career opportunity and is an increasingly well-paid and respected profession. Talent.com states that truck drivers in the U.S. earn on average $62,452 per year or $30.02 per hour, with entry-level positions starting at $48,749 and experienced workers earning up to $88,392 annually.
“The demand for truck drivers is high, making it a stable career choice. Additionally, with the advancements in technology, truck driving is becoming more efficient and safer, making it a viable career option for individuals looking for a respectable and fulfilling profession,” concludes Ball.
About Roadmasters Driving School
Roadmaster, headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, is a nationwide training organization for professional truck drivers. The organization has over 30 years of experience training more than 160,000 graduates with 24 training locations nationwide. By focusing on giving students the best education and maintaining high job placement standards, Roadmaster has gained a national reputation in the trucking industry for quality training of entry-level commercial truck drivers — noted for their training practices to be the most hands-on and safety-focused training in the country. For more information, visit http://www.roadmaster.
References:
- Most, Daniel. How Fleets Can Fill Seats to Tackle Truck Driver Shortage. February 09, 2023. Supply & Demand Chain Executive. https://www.sdcexec.com/
professional-development/ retention/article/22657349/ cpc-logistics-how-fleets-can- fill-seats-to-tackle-truck- driver-shortage - Press Release. ATA: Driver Shortage Remains Near Record High. October 25, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/
news-releases/ata-driver- shortage-remains-near-record- high-301658985.html - Costello, Bob. Trucks move roughly 72.2% of the nation's freight by weight. That is just one of many statistics calculated and tracked by American Trucking Associations' professional staff that you can learn about here. American Trucking Association. https://www.trucking.org/
economics-and-industry-data - Driver Shortage Update 2022. October 25. 2022. American Trucking Association. https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&
l=en&o=3688497-1&h=3521471074& u=https%3A%2F%2Fata.msgfocus. com%2Ffiles%2Famf_highroad_ solution%2Fproject_2358%2FATA_ Driver_Shortage_Report_2022_ Executive_Summary.October22. pdf&a=found+here - Trovall, Elizabeth. Immigrants are filling the trucking labor gap in Houston as foreign-born drivers triple in numbers. February 27, 2023. Houston Chronicle. https://www.houstonchronicle.
com/news/houston-texas/ immigration/article/trucking- labor-shift-immigrants- houston-17774264.php - Truck Driver average salary in the USA, 2023. Talent.com. https://www.talent.com/salary?
job=truck+driver
