b'20American Journal ofTransportation ajot.commany carriers advertise the benefits of joining their respective companies using social media and truck-ing job boards as a means of reaching drivers.Once a driver is interested in a career with a LABOR DAY 2025 carrier, some companies offer financial incentives. Includingcompetitivepay,sign-onbonuses,and performance-based as well as health insurance and paid time off, are helping some carriers recruit and retain drivers.Another area of focus is quality of life. Predict-ableschedulesandroutesallowdriverstospend more time at home. Newer, well-maintained trucks withmodernamenitiesandtechnologyimprove driver satisfaction while also improving service.As carriers make a concerted effort to improve theexperiencesofdrivers,individualcompanies and industry associations, like the ATA, are working to address some of the most common pain points for drivers. A recent survey conducted by the American Truck drivers are in demand,TransportationResearchInstitute(ATRI)identi-fied a lack of truck parking, extensive detention and with many factors contributing to a shortage delays, and being unable to access restroom facili-ties as top concerns.Putting drivers in seats still persists with a myriad of factors contributing to the shortage. t ruCkp arkingd iffiCult tof indBy Debra Phillips, AJOT According to industry sources, there is a sig-nificantimbalancebetweenthenumberoftrucks Thetruckingindustryhasexperiencedsig- expectations for rapid delivery increase alongsideon the road and the available parking spaces. One nificant volatility in recent years, marked by fluc- the growth of e-commerce. study indicates that there is only one parking space tuations in volumes and rates. However, one issueIndustrygroupsandcarriersaretakingstepsavailable for every 11 trucks. The growing demand hasremainedconstantbefore,during,andafterto reverse the trend and attract new drivers. Strate- for goods, especially with the rise in e-commerce, the Freight Recession: a significant shortage ofgies include enhanced pay and benefit programs foris putting more trucks on the road, exacerbating the truck drivers. The American Trucking Associationsdrivers, efforts to address common pain points forparking shortage.(ATA),theindustrysadvocacygroup,predictsadrivers,implementingprogramsthatoffersecondDrivers often spend a significant amount of time shortage of 115,000 truck drivers this calendar year.chances to individuals who have criminal recordssearching for parking, leading to lost productivity. The shortage is projected to increase, with estimatesor past issues with substance abuse, and addressingIf a driver is detained at a shippers location long suggesting it could reach 160,000 by 2030. gender discrimination. enoughtoimpacttheallowedHoursofService, The US relies heavily on truck drivers, as theyfindingparkingiscriticaltomeetingregulatory moveroughly70%ofthenationsfreight.Con- C oMpanyb enefits toa ttraCtn ewd riVers requirements. sequently, a shortage of truck drivers may disruptAtonetime,carriersfocusedtheirmarket- The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and supply chains and affect consumers, particularly asing efforts on reaching potential customers. Today,(SHORTAGEcontinued on page 25)Book Your Booth! tl-americas.org/exhibitorsNovember 11-13, 2025Miami Beach Convention CenterFlorida, USAtl-americas.orgaircargoamericas.com'