Canada is quietly creeping into a deep hole through the driver shortage that’s been looming for years over our heads. Britain is already going through it as the Army is called in to help deliver fuel to gas stations. They say this is a mix of not enough workers and the Brexit Immigration changes. The United States was also in the same situation this summer with fuel shortages due to not enough tanker drivers. In Canada it is estimated that there are about 18,000 jobs available caused by an average age of a drivers being around 55 years of age, young people not interested in the industry, and training costs. If you add the additional tension of essential workers having to be vaccinated to cross the border by the end of 2021 the problem dramatically increases. The CBC recently did an article outlining the driver shortage issue, you can read that article here. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada-truck-driver-shortage-1.6198830
Trucking predominantly started with farm kids and people that wanted to get away from the structure of college or University. The freedom of the road and being paid to see the country were all benefits to someone not wanting to follow the education route for an office job. Many of those kids had a passion for machinery and a talent for the open road but have now become older, tired, and looking at retirement. Who do we need now in the seat?
The job has changed from the eighties when I started in the industry. There are more regulations, more systems to learn, and more technology in the equipment. There is a lot of freight to move and not enough people to move it. We need you!
As a young person this may be a fabulous time to get behind the wheel. The trucks are more comfortable than in the past and companies are willing to work around your schedule when possible. You can possibly fund your training through a career employment program, your current employer, or funding program. In as little as six weeks you can be into a new career with many opportunities for the future. The beautiful thing about being in trucking is you will have a job for life if you want it. There is always work in the industry for the right people. With all the shortages and other issues companies are going out of their way to work with people interested in the industry. You just have to take the step of talking to a training facility or employer about your options. A great place to find a training facility in your area is on the TTSAO website under Accredited Schools – https://uke.yyg.mybluehost.me/website_bf2bfdb2/accredited-schools/ or contact these carriers in the carrier group about what they are looking for in an employee. It may surprise you.
About the Author
Bruce Outridge is a veteran in the transportation industry with over 40 years in the industry in a variety of roles from driver to fleet supervisor and more. Today he is a media entrepreneur in the industry producing a number of programs within the trucking industry. You can learn more about Bruce and his work and his trucking podcast at www.theleadpedalpodcast.com
Disclaimer: This article is written and based on the opinion of the author and is for general information only.