Driver retention issues and other concerns change the narrative in ‘driver shortage’ conversation

With many choosing to attack disruptions in the supply chain by focusing on a perceived driver shortage, OOIDA Board Member Dick Pingel and others contend that driver retention issues within the industry – rather than a shortage of qualified talent – are the real reasons drivers aren’t returning to the road.

Pingel addressed these concerns with the Wisconsin Freight Advisory Committee at a meeting on Feb. 1 in Madison, Wis., as part of a four-person trucking panel focused on addressing the current supply chain issues through recruitment, retention and training.

Also on the panel:

• Dan Johnson, vice president of Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association.
• Mark Oesterle, program manager for the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration.
• Carl Suhr, director of fleet operations convenience transportation for LaCrosse, Wis.-based convenience store chain Kwik Trip.

Members of the panel, including Pingel, believe that poor pay, long detention times, extended time away from home and overreaching federal regulations contribute to a high turnover rate – one that is 90% higher than the retail sector.

To address retention and turnover issues among drivers, Pingel and the other members of the panel made multiple suggestions to the committee, including: more locations for driver training, expanded driver recruitment, increased truck parking, and reduction in detention time.

For those outside the industry, it can be easy to miss some of the bigger issues affecting truckers. Pingel said that during a breakout session, a member of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation staff said they were surprised to discover the problems that drivers are subjected to.

The fight to correct these persistent issues has been an uphill battle for the trucking industry, but this hasn’t deterred Pingel, who recently told Land Line, “I hope to change some minds and maybe bring a new perspective.”

Changing minds is always a tall task, but many in the industry believe that there must be a new approach in order to achieve different results. According to Pingel, members of the WFAC and WIDOT were receptive to their message.

“I thought it was received really well,” Pingel said. “I think we opened some eyes.” LL