Low pay keeping millions of Americans out of trucking, survey suggests

Nearly half of Americans are open to the idea of becoming a truck driver, but there is one thing getting in their way: money.

That was the key takeaway from a survey conducted by truck parts supplier FinditParts, which asked U.S. adults about being a truck driver. Some answers were surprising while others aligned with issues that have been plaguing the trucking industry.

Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising result was that half of Americans surveyed would not mind being a truck driver. Nearly half (45%) said they have considered becoming a truck driver, while about the same number of respondents indicated they would quit their current job if truckers were paid better.

What’s the dollar amount that would bring more people into the industry? Nearly a third of people surveyed said an annual income of $100,000 or more would be enough for them to become a truck driver. That’s likely not going to happen as a company driver, but it is feasible for owner-operators.

Pay is not the only thing keeping people from becoming a truck driver; the lifestyle is also preventing them from entering the industry. More than half of survey respondents said time away from home is the biggest downside to trucking. About a quarter expressed safety and health concerns.

However, low pay appears to be the controlling factor when determining whether people make the move to be a truck driver.

Nearly a third of respondents said the most important factors are pay and earning potential. Fewer than one in five indicated that schedule flexibility is the biggest hurdle to cross.

The idea of being a truck driver appears to be universal across all age groups. Half of Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X respondents have thought about being a trucker. Only Boomers were less open to the idea, with only 30% indicating they have considered a career in trucking.

However, the younger the person, the less likely they are to see trucking as a viable career choice. More than 80% of Boomers and nearly 90% of Gen X view the job of a truck driver as a viable option. But less than 75% of Millennials and only 70% of Gen Z see it that way.

FinditParts’ survey highlights some of the biggest issues trucking companies face when trying to recruit or retain truck drivers.

Study after study has shown there is no driver shortage. However, there is a driver turnover issue that many believe can be solved by better pay.

Michael Belzer, an economics professor at Wayne State University, has published numerous studies looking into the link between truck driver pay and safety and retention. His research has found correlations between higher pay and safer, less overworked drivers.

“There isn’t any such thing as a driver shortage. There is a recruitment and retention problem,” Belzer said. “That’s because at the margin, people decide, ‘Is it worth it to get the CDL to work that hard if I’m not making any money?’ A very rational decision on the part of the drivers is to quit, do something else. So, we lose all those people. This thing has been upside down for decades, and it’s time to turn this truck right-side up, with the dirty side down where it belongs.” LL

Listen to Belzer discuss the broken system of driver pay: