Wages are going up, business confidence is high, and it seems like everything in the job market is flowing well!
But there’s one job in particular that’s feeling the threat of obscurity. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), there is a decline in the number of truck drivers in the United States. The ATA estimates the industry as a whole is short anywhere between fifty thousand and sixty thousand drivers for companies to meet optimal performance. And with the current generation of drivers set to retire soon, this could spell trouble for the shipping industry.
What’s caused the lack of interest in this all-American industry we’ve relied on for so long? And how will it impact your supply chain and how you ship? Truck drivers are leaving the industry due to low pay and lack of work-life balance, to name a couple.
Without resources to transport goods, businesses stand to suffer significant losses and delays in their product delivery processes. To address this urgent situation, industry leaders must work together and devise comprehensive solutions that provide reliable supply chain services for customers.
3PLs Have the Solutions to Driver Shortages
It can be tough to find the right carrier on the right lane for the best rate if you’re shipping without a third-party partnership. 3PLs use the latest technology to help discover hidden capacity. For example, booking a shipment on a backhaul lane is cheaper, and carriers are looking for loads to avoid empty trucks on return trips.
You can leverage a 3PL’s resources to work for you. 3PLs have access to discounted rates, saving you money as well as time by fulfilling the capacity requirements of your shipment. They work on behalf of small- and mid-sized businesses to unlock all kinds of hidden options, even in a slim-capacity market.
