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No, you are not imagining it. Many truck drivers have become increasingly aggressive and dangerous in both their driving and demeanors. This once respected profession has been slipping since the 1990s but now as we face the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry will be changed forever.
A shortage of experienced truck drivers, met with a wave of new or very old workers, is causing the rate of accidents, injuries, and deaths to rise across the nation. Aggressive behavior behind the wheel of thousands of pounds of crushing capability is a dangerous situation for everyone in their way. But how did it come to this?
The Trucker Shortage
A number of factors coincided to create a vacuum where there once was more than enough eager truck drivers. The COVID-19 pandemic harmed the economy and threatened the lives of an entire nation, so many older truck drivers chose to simply retire immediately and return to a home where they would be safe. Others leveraged their position and public demand to get routes closer to home, where they could return each night to be with their locked-down family.
At the same time, in January of 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration added a new service to its roster of checks against the transportation industry. Their new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is a mandatory database that tracks compliance issues among professional truckers. An estimated 30,000 drivers were disqualified as their records were brought to light.
There used to be job-hopping after an infraction or failed drug test, as a way to stay behind the wheel. But now that the Clearinghouse is keeping an eye on less than savory truckers, they can not find work or endanger the general public anymore.
The COVID-19 pandemic also led to a sharp uptick in the demand for home delivery services, eCommerce order shipping, and all other manners of truck-powered economic activities. This huge swell in the demand had to be met by the trucking industry leaders somehow, and even an increase in base pay could not find them enough suitable candidates. So what did they do? They settled for less.
Fresh Faces, Clean Records
Not all the new truck drivers hired on to meet rising demand are poor drivers or bad candidates for the long haul lifestyle. But, a huge influx of inexperienced people in any workplace can lead to misunderstandings, accidents, and a stressful work environment. Now, imagine that the workplace is every major roadway in America.
Young people with zero professional experience, people laid off from completely different industries, and retired people whose savings were wiped out by the economic impact of COVID-19, all are welcome at major transportation companies these days.
The surge of new drivers has led to a spike in accidents. If you or a loved one have been injured or killed by a truck recently, the administration’s decisions to put that driver behind the wheel may have been a factor. Contact a New Orleans truck accident attorney to see what your options are for compensation or justice.
Workplace Stress
Driving a truck is a hard gig. Not only are there stacks of regulations that determine when and how you are allowed to drive, but most truckers have one of the major logistics companies or clients breathing down their neck the whole time. Add in a payment structure where every mile counts and delays cost you money, and of course, people will get stressed out.
And most truck drivers are completely alone, with no coworker to gossip at the watercooler with, or an available manager with an open door to hear their complaints. Sitting for up to eleven hours straight alone in the cab of a truck can lead to negative emotions swirling up to overpower you. The job is not for everyone, and beginners may not even realize the job is a poor fit for themselves, or they might not have the luxury to seek other employment.
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