America’s trucking industry faces a shortage. Meet the immigrants helping fill the gap.

[KamaAina]

http://www.dailynews.com/business/20160425/americas-trucking-industry-faces-a-shortage-meet-the-immigrants-helping-fill-the-gap

With the exception of maybe the cowboy, is there any job more typically “American” than being a trucker? Now, it’s time to rethink that as the industry increasingly depends on drivers from many parts of the world.

To see this shift up close, head 50 miles west of Los Angeles, just off Interstate 10, home to one of the busiest long-haul truck stops in the US. It’s where tired drivers often park their 18-wheelers for the night and eat, shower and relax before hitting the road again. It’s also where you’ll see just how multinational the trucking industry is now because of drivers like Harsharan Singh, originally from Punjab, India.

“I got my license back in 2009, when I came from India. Now, a lot of people from Romania, Yugoslavia, China, Japanese, Russians are coming into this business,” says Singh, who hauls produce all across the Western US and Canada.

Part of the reason behind the shift is that the trucking industry is facing a labor shortage of up to 48,000 drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations. That could balloon to more than 170,000 drivers in the next 10 years.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

1. Happy about the jobs, sad about the pollution. Has to be a better way.

[KamaAina]

2. Expanded railroads? Biodiesel?

[Jackie Wilson Said]

3. Electric trains? Coast to coast. I honestly dont know.

Wait, electric is no good unless it comes from batteries.

[littlebit]

4. Expanded rail really wouldn't solve

the problem. You would still need trucks to move freight from the rail yards to the shipper or receiver. And bio diesel has been around for years.

[underpants]

5. Yes and expanding railroads is just not going to happen

The rail,lines have been in place for 200 years and the capital outlay would be enormous.

[underpants]

6. Trucking pays well - not many indies but if you work for a company

The problem is that it is tough on a family. I've had the flu since Thursday (today was an extra precaution day by Dr.'s orders) and quarantined in one room and not being able to be within 10 feet of my wife or daughter has been excruciating. I can't imagine being on the road for a week or two or a month.

I know someone who works in the freight industry. Truckers, especially specially licensed and those will to do looooong hauls, can make good money. It's just a tough job. Not physically but you're talking long hours basically in isolation. It takes a really special mindset.

[Dems to Win]

7. Raise wages, solve the labor shortage

Plenty of Americans need jobs.

[bhikkhu]

8. Median wage is about $48K

Which is pretty good, considering the basic skills involved. I had a friend who struggling in the recession, busting tires in a shop for $10/hr. Pretty hard labor for that, and it gets old quick. He took a community college course and got his CDL, went right to work and made $50k his first year.

Why don't more people do it? I don't think its the money, as the money is good, especially as you can base out of any number of low-cost-of-living areas. Its just another one of those jobs that plenty of people don't want to do. I don't like driving that much myself.

[Dems to Win]

9. My neighbor is away from home 12 nights out of 14. Truckers deserve a GOOD living as compensation

for the hardship. And he doesn't make $48K per year.

If supply and demand curves work, and basic economic theories are correct, then raising wages will solve a labor shortage every time.

[bhikkhu]

12. I wouldn't assume that supply and demand curves work very well

Some jobs are highly skilled and the lag time between demand and supply causes problems. Other jobs are low-skilled and lousy physical jobs. If you can train someone to do them in a day, what is fair compensation? Speaking of the tire-busting job, not truck driving, which is somewhere in between.

In my area truck drivers who work regularly can make $50k, which is about average, and that's a pretty good living here. There's just not that many people who want to do it. Same problem with tire-changers. Its easy to learn, but its a lousy job. I'm in favor of a higher minimum wage - $12-15/hr would make a lot of people stick with jobs they hated longer, as it would allow them to afford food and rent.

[dumbcat]

10. 50 miles west of Los Angeles

is a truck stop?

To see this shift up close, head 50 miles west of Los Angeles, just off Interstate 10, home to one of the busiest long-haul truck stops in the US.

It's gonna be kinda wet. I-10 ends about 10 miles west of LA, at the Pacific Ocean.

Geography challenged new Yorkers?

[KamaAina]

11. Good catch!

They must have meant 50 miles east, which would put it around San Bernardino.

And it was in the LA Daily News.

[Wounded Bear]

14. I saw that too....

as someone who lived in Orange County, CA for many years, I got a chuckle out of it.

[Person 2713]

13. Hard work . Tougher life.

[trof]

15. In a very few years, trucks will be 'smart' drones.

Autonomous vehicles.
Insurance rates for human guided vehicles will skyrocket.
You saw it here first.

[hobbit709]

16. Maybe they'd get more drivers if they paid better.

My housemate averages $10/hr by the time it's all said and done.