Natural disasters, driver shortage, a growing economy, higher input costs, increasing pay for qualified drivers…all factors contributing to the highest spot quotes the industry has seen in over two years with van rates on the truckload spot quote market reaching a national average of $1.94 per mile and reefer rates increasing from $2.19 to $2.22 per mile week-over-week, according to DAT Trendlines.

According to the American Trucking Associations, the trucking industry is currently short around 48,000 drivers with that number expected to surge to 890,000 by 2025. 1This increase will be gradual, however, there will be a noticeable tightening by mid-year 2017, FTR Associates predicts.

Drivers are said to be one of (if not the most) important asset for trucking companies.  Not only are they responsible for the successful and safe transportation of products, but overall act as brand ambassadors for their company, often spending more time with customers than traditional salesmen.  The impression they leave behind plays a large role in customer retention as a negative experience can lead to lost future sales while a pleasant and memorable experience can cause a shipper/consignee to want to increase their business together.  Knowing this, it comes to question as to why many carriers would hire less than qualified drivers to represent their company.  Perhaps to fill capacity restraints?  Or maybe because they do not have to pay them as much as they would an experienced/skilled driver?  Whatever the case, industry experts agree that the quality of drivers is decreasing.

Earlier this month, thieves stole a chassis container trailer of footwear from a warehouse yard in Torrance, CA.  Without releasing the location of the theft or brand of products, authorities noted that the shoes, which consisted of both men’s and women’s sneakers, had a retail value of over $100 per pair, placing the load of 10,728 pairs at over $1 million.

Terror monitoring agencies uncovered postings Tuesday on known ISIS message forums calling for its followers to inject poison, including cyanide, into food at Western supermarkets. 1