Dear Editor:

I would like to respond to the topic of the driver shortage, which seems to be an ongoing concern on both sides of the border. As a driver who was out of the industry for five years and having to come back to make a living, I am surprised how little some things have changed in some areas and how much in others. I have been back driving almost 10 months now and have seen a lot written on how to attract new drivers and have seen very little written on why existing drivers are leaving.

How many drivers between the ages of 35 to 50 are leaving due to perceived poor financial conditions, meaning rate of pay, number of miles or combination of both? One question that I have not seen is what value do drivers put on home time? Value can mean more than money but what is it? Just to say we need home time without a definition that is understood by the carrier and the driver does a disservice to both parties. It is nice to see words like respect, honesty and integrity used in trying to reach a common ground, but is it being practiced?

My belief is we need to make transportation a more human environment again.

Rob Martin
Via e-mail