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WHAT DRIVER SHORTAGE? Just last summer, finding truck drivers to hire was difficult. But now many motor carriers are experiencing a big increase in the number of job applications they’re receiving. In fact, there’s been a 50 percent increase in applications in the past year. That means managers can be more selective about who they hire. “Simply put,” said the communications director at Con-Way Inc., “there are more experienced drivers looking for work…. Essentially, it is giving us the opportunity to upgrade the quality of our workforce in terms of applicants we consider, who we hire, and who we retain.” Applicants include both experienced drivers who have lost their jobs at trucking firms and new truckers who are switching careers after losing their jobs in other fields. The Wall Street Journal reports that about 3,600 trucking companies went out of business last year, enlarging the pool of experienced applicants. Unemployed workers from other fields often view trucking as an attractive career. Short-haul truckers can make well above minimum wage, while long-haul drivers may earn $50,000 per year or more. With the influx of applications, trucking companies report they have cut back on recruiting, training, and advertising—and they’ve saved a bundle of money. The Wall Street Journal reported that Con-Way, which until recently spent as much as $500,000 per month in driver recruitment ads, now spends less than half that amount.
CROSS-BORDER PROGRAM IS HALTED: When he signed the 2009 appropriations bill into law, President Obama ended the controversial pilot program that allowed a limited number of Mexican trucks to drive into the United States. The cross-border program, which went into effect in September 2007, permitted up to 100 Mexican carriers to operate beyond the U.S. border commercial zone and up to 100 U.S. carriers to operate throughout Mexico. However, only 27 Mexican carriers and 10 U.S. carriers were participating in the program. Now that the United States has halted the program, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States noted that the country could retaliate by raising or placing tariffs on U.S. goods. The cross-border program has been controversial since its inception. A number of agricultural and business organizations, including the American Trucking Associations, have supported the program and voiced concerns about Mexican retaliation. However, other groups, including the Teamsters, have fiercely opposed the program, citing safety concerns and arguing that lower-paid Mexican drivers would take jobs away from American truckers. The Washington Post recently noted that the program cost U.S. taxpayers $500 million. With Mexican trucks averaging three cross-border trips per day, each trip cost more than $300,000, according to the Teamsters.
BACK IN THE HOT SEAT: Dissatisfied with the current hours-of-service rules, several special interest groups recently asked an appeals court to review the regulations. Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition, and the Teamsters sent a letter to the U.S. transportation secretary requesting new hours-of-service regulations, noting that “longer driving and working hours are unsafe and promote driver fatigue.” The American Trucking Associations (ATA), however, maintains that the rules are based on sound science and that trucks on U.S. highways are safer now than ever. In response to the groups’ lawsuit, the ATA posted the “myths and facts” about the hours-of-service regulations. The myths, according to the ATA, are: the 11-hour driving limit and 34-hour restart provisions will increase truck crashes; the 34-hour restart provision disregards the safety and health implications of fatigue on drivers; and the 34-hour restart provision will generate long periods of driving. In actuality, said the ATA, fatal crashes involving large trucks have dropped significantly since the rules went into effect, despite an increase of 11 billion truck miles driven. “During the five-year period the new hours-of-service rules have been in effect, billions of commercial motor vehicle driver hours have been recorded and hundreds of billions of miles have been traveled by trucks, proving the safety and benefit of these important provisions,” according to the ATA.
WORST CONGESTION IN CHICAGO: Perhaps surprisingly, the worst highway congestion in the nation is not on the East Coast but in the Midwest. A survey of the country’s worst bottlenecks by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) finds that the I-80 at I-94 split near Chicago is the worst bottlenecked section of U.S. roadway. ATRI analyzed 30 freight bottlenecks and traffic choke points in the U.S. interstate system and ranked the top 10. Ranked second was I-95 at SR-4 in Bergen, New Jersey, followed by another Chicago-area highway at I-90 and I-94 in Cook, Illinois. ATRI researchers used GIS/GPS technology, truck-specific information, and high-tech methods to determine what time of day freight was affected by traffic congestion and where it was especially bad. “ATRI’s report provides the first real-world analysis of the congestion that motor carriers experience every day,” said Tim Lynch of the American Trucking Associations. The “ranking of freight bottlenecks fills a critical void in our arsenal of tools for identifying, prioritizing, and addressing freight system deficiencies for the next surface transportation reauthorization.” Some of the other worst-congested highways include: I-285 at I-85 Interchange in DeKalb, Georgia; I-95 at SR-9A in New York City; I-40 at I-65 Interchange in Davidson, Tennessee; and SR-60 at SR-57 Interchange in Los Angeles.
SLEEP CLINICS ON THE ROAD: New clinics that treat truckers with sleep disorders will open at Pilot Travel Centers across the country. Two clinics have teamed up to serve truck drivers so they can be treated for sleep disorders without taking time off from their jobs. “Roadside Medical Clinic and Lab and Sleep Pointe LLC believe this initiative will play a major role in reducing healthcare costs for companies and provide preventive care for thousands of professional truck drivers,” said the president of Roadside Medical Clinic and Lab. Medical facilities at the Pilot Travel Centers will be designed to support sleep studies using the existing exam rooms. The clinics are intended to protect the health and safety of professional truck drivers. “With our comprehensive treatment approach and compliance program we will be able to help companies keep their drivers on the road, not only saving them costs but saving lives,” said Duke Naipohn, president and CEO of Sleep Pointe LLC. A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the American Trucking Associations found that nearly 1.1 million commercial truck drivers suffer from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea, as common as adult diabetes, affects more than 12 million Americans. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over 40. Left undiagnosed, it can result in serious health consequences, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
AMERICANS LACK INSURANCE SMARTS: A new survey finds that the majority of Americans believe they are smart about insurance, but in reality many lack basic knowledge. The survey, sponsored by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), found that nearly 60 percent of Americans feel “very confident” when making insurance decisions, with only 15 percent voicing any concerns about their decision-making abilities. If you too feel “very confident,” see if you can answer these three basic questions: (1) Does auto insurance automatically cover a rental car? (2) Can you own a house without homeowner’s insurance? (3) How much life insurance is generally recommended in relation to your annual salary? If you answered “no,” “yes,” and “five to seven times your annual salary,” then you did better than the majority of respondents who took a 10-question quiz on insurance and got, on average, just four questions right. Only 19 percent of those surveyed, for example, knew that the requirements for private mortgage insurance depend on the size of the down payment and the lender. The CEO of NAIC, Terri Vaughn, said, “By arming themselves with facts—and improving their insurance IQ—consumers can make sure they are adequately protected, without paying more than they should for that coverage.”
CREATE A SAFE HAVEN: Fear is a natural response to the unknown. And in these times of economic turmoil, there are plenty of unknowns. How can leaders build an environment where people feel safe? For starters, be sure your words and your actions jibe. If you say you care about keeping people informed, for example, make sure you do so. Otherwise, you send mixed messages, which exacerbate fear. You can alleviate your employees’ fear in the following ways: (1) Create a safe haven. Inspire trust through open dialogue and honest communications. Minimize misunderstandings by repeating what others say and asking questions to ensure you understand each other and to uncover hidden implications. (2) Keep an open mind. It’s okay to disagree, but be sure you are not judgmental. Try to understand employee concerns by asking questions and listening closely. Your goal is to diffuse their worries, not impress upon them your own point of view. (3) Don’t be a people pleaser. Speak the truth. People will sense when you’re trying to paint an overly rosy picture, and that does not foster feelings of trust and safety.
We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.—Sir Winston Churchill |
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