Driver turnover on the rise: ATA

by Truck News

ARLINGTON, Va. – Driver turnover at large truckload fleets hit its highest level since 2015, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

“So far this year, the turnover rate at large truckload fleets is up 10 percentage points,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “The extreme tightening of the driver market – driven by solid freight demand – will continue to challenge fleets looking for qualified drivers.”

For the first half of 2018, driver turnover at large truckload fleets was 96%, on pace to be the highest year for turnover since 2013. Meanwhile, turnover at small truckload fleets was 72%.

“There is something happening with turnover at these smaller fleets,” Costello said. “The driver market remains tight across the truckload sector, but the turnover rate at these smaller carriers is down 14 points from the same time last year. Like large carriers, small truckload carriers have been aggressively raising pay this year, which has helped their turnover rate level off.”

Driver turnover at LTL fleets rose 4% to 14%, reaching the highest mark since the first quarter of 2013.

“While much lower than the truckload sector, seeing this kind of jump in the LTL market tells me that this sector is struggling with drivers more than in the recent past,” Costello said, “and suggests the industry’s issues finding qualified drivers are continuing to deepen across the board.”


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  • If companies treated their workers better then they would stay .alot of dispatchers put frieght over driver needs.drivers get fed up and move on.the industry needs to change .drivers don’t want to work long hours anymore .they want a home life as well.more and more drivers will leave the industry if demands don’t lessen.

  • This industries problems are not the trucking companies but the shippers and receivers with delays to load and reload late fines 250. 500. 1000. $ if we could do our del and pu’s in timely fashion that’s 75% of problem and have dispatchers with trucking experience

  • 30 years ago a fuel hauler and/or long haul driver made more money than teachers, police, nurses and train engineers. Today those occupations typically pay 100,000+ a year with or without overtime. The truck driver always puts in more time and spends weeks away from having a normal life. Those hauling dangerous goods (fuel) are getting ripped off by the oil pigs. It ain’t the companies fault neither as these pigs won’t pay the companies fairly to give the driver the wage they deserve. There is no shortage of citizens with an AZ licence, so we do not need to recruit from other countries. Start paying 6 + figures then you’ll see a change. Wake up folks….it’s almost 2020 not 1990. Oh and don’t blame immigrants for filling the position, they’ll gladly do the work compared to where there coming from especially since our currency is worth a fortune elsewhere.

  • its very simple..first raise the paid check.. then tell those dispacht stop pushing..wicht they all do…then give them rime off…..then people will drive…i did drive long haul..on west coast..and i tell you this..wthi change will bring new driver

  • Having been a long haul interprovincial and interstate driver for 25 years reason I left was regulations. Never the same in 2 provinces or states. Other main reason was dispatchers and terminal people didn’t know or care about drivers problems
    Not unusual to wait hours unpaid to load or unload and pressure to exceed legal on duty hours or load restrictions.