When I think about the initiatives the current Executive Orderer In Chief takes, an ancient proverb comes to mind: “Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.” That’s because there are two things he’s asserted that I agree with, and only two.
First, stop producing pennies. It’s common sense. Having spent some time the last few years working at a retail POS (Point of Sale), I learned to dislike copper coins. Every cash register features a countertop penny tray for people to grab some to pay up or drop some to avoid having them in their pockets. Plus, they cost more than a penny to produce.
Second, end Daylight Saving Time (DST). In most of our country, we go through two clock changes to “save” daylight yearly. Losing an hour of sleep in Spring only to regain it in the fall seems silly. The day after the springtime change is often called “Sleepy Monday” due to decreased alertness and productivity in the workplace. The week following the switch in the Spring has been associated with increased traffic accidents and workplace injuries, likely due to sleep deprivation and reduced alertness.
With a background in interstate freight, I am qualified to comment on a recent Executive Order that requires truck drivers holding a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to be able to read, speak, and understand English. That order is as unnecessary as pennies and daylight saving time.
I sense the President and his crack team of advisors aren’t aware that this requirement has been clearly stated for many years in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, specifically in 49 CFR § 391.11(b)(2), which outlines qualifications for drivers. It states that a driver must:
“Be able to read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records.”
The American Trucking Association (ATA) had a marketing slogan: “If you got it, a truck brought it.” The slogan has the benefit of being true. What happens in trucking, in board rooms, and on the highway affects us all.
In 2000, the US real GDP was approximately $13.72 trillion. By 2023, it was roughly $22.06 trillion, having grown about 61%. There’s a lot more “stuff” moving on our highways now. There was an increase in commercial truck drivers over that time, yet long-haul trucking has had a driver shortage for many years. While the driver shortage has gained significant attention in recent years, its roots date back much further, with concerns voiced as early as 2000.
Several factors contribute to a tightening driver market. Many drivers who entered the profession in previous decades are retiring, and there aren’t enough new entrants to replace them. The average age of truck drivers, almost 50 years, was already noticeably higher than that of the overall workforce. The demographic reality of an aging truck driver population is a key concern.
The demanding lifestyle of a long-haul trucker—long periods away from home, irregular hours, and the inherent stresses of the job—makes it challenging to attract younger generations. Immigrants from around the globe stepped up to fill the seats and pilot 80,000 pounds of cargo on 18 wheels so that we could buy groceries and other goods at big-box stores. Estimates from late 2023 and early 2024 suggest that foreign-born drivers make up around 20% of the US’s approximately 1.2 million long-haul truck drivers.
In my experience, even before 2000, there were more and more drivers of Eastern European, East Asian, and South American descent. Certain customers (whom we call shippers) required that drivers hired to haul their freight be able to speak English. The logistics could be a nightmare when the closest available driver barely speaks English.
Trucking companies began to ramp up recruitment and retention efforts early on, offering signing bonuses and exploring different strategies to attract and retain new drivers.
In the 2010s, I was the Director of Logistics for a company that operated 350 trucks intended to haul perishable products and dry freight across the country. The driver shortage meant that 25-30 of those trucks sat idle at any one time. As a significant six-figure investment, those assets must produce revenue. Without a driver, a truck is useless.
The firm ran a class for new drivers every week. Sometimes, as few as five new drivers showed up, but often, 12 or more were there. After completing class and passing the driving and drug tests, each driver was assigned a truck and sent out onto the interstate on Friday or Saturday. It was the rare driver who stayed employed with us for more than six months.
As aggravating as it can be at loading docks or the dispatch desk with drivers who barely claim English as a second language, foreign-born drivers keep things moving today. Reducing their number is ludicrous.
