Time and time again, we have worked with truck drivers to secure their livelihoods after legal difficulties, learning that their salaries either proved unfair or challenging to live on. Now, after a change in economic conditions and an increase in the shortage of truck drivers, companies are beginning to seek their services at a higher paid and more frequent rate.
This year, the truck driving industry has experienced a continued shortage of drivers throughout the United States, causing salaries of current drivers to increase by approximately 12 percent.
According to the National Transportation Institute, average salaries for long-haul truck drivers have increased approximately 17 percent since 2013, rising to $57,000 in 2015. Due to low employment costs and an increase in demand for imported goods that must be transported by long-haul trucks, the trucking industry has seen great benefits. According to Bob Costello, American Trucking Association’s Chief Economist, the expected increase in driver’s salaries will continue to rise as long as the shortage continues.
An increase in salaries is long overdue, but long-haul truck driving still proves an impossible task for some due to the commitment of time spent out on the road.
Jarrod Ritter, a 35-year-old truck driver, tried long-haul truck driving a few times but was never able to commit to the long hours and multiple days away from home. In a Wall Street Journal article which discussed the raise in truck driver’s salaries he stated, “It’s a hard life…You’re living 24 hours a day, seven days a week inside a rolling closet.”
Offering more time at home is one of the changes the American Trucking Association is considering in order to attract more drivers to fix the shortage. Although a steep increase in salaries is intriguing for drivers, this factor, as well as a change in how the supply chain treats the drivers and improving the reputation of the industry, are said to be in the works.
Additional changes in the industry also include lowering the age requirement for interstate truck drivers and working to hire veterans.
Another challenge for truck drivers includes specific legal difficulties. Texas CDL tickets can result in serious penalties for truck drivers and are difficult to fight without the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney.
That’s why our firm is here to help. We work with these individuals every day to help them succeed and grow in their positions by fighting for their rights.
We understand that truck drivers must maintain a clean driving record to continue making a living. To learn how to protect yourself, please contact us today.
