Don't use other pin pullers, You could get hurt! 
Monday, February 21, 2005
Trucking industry: Short-staffed for the long haul
For the first time in the 17 years CONUS Interstate Inc. has been in the trucking business, it is paying $1,500 bonuses to recruit drivers.
A convergence of regulatory issues, fuel prices and other factors such as insurance costs has dried up the pool of available drivers, said Richard Lange, safety and recruiting manager for the Sparks office of CONUS.
“Yes, there’s a tremendous shortage of drivers,” Lange said.
On any day of the week, CONUS is coordinating delivery of freight by as many as 150 big trucks out of its Sparks office to West Coast destinations.
About one out of every 10 jobs in the Reno area in December was in the category that includes truckers, wholesale warehousing and utility workers, said James Shabi, an economist with the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation.
That compares to about 8 percent nationally and less than 7 percent for Nevada as a whole, Shabi said.
Between 2002 and 2012, the trucking industry in the Reno area is expected to grow about 29 percent, said Gail Conkey, director of business services for the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada.
New federal laws took effect last year that required truckers to be off duty for 10 hours, instead of eight hours, and made some other changes in their work schedules, Lange said. He likes the law because it seems to be leading to better-rested drivers. But when moving freight, it has consequences.
“Within minutes, we became 84,000 drivers short as an industry,” Lange said.
CONUS hires drivers who own their trucks. Diesel fuel prices have shot up to more than $2 a gallon, but freight-shipping costs have not kept up, Lange said. So more than 50 drivers have dropped out in the last six months.
“The owners have to just park them,” Lange said. “They can’t afford to operate them because of the cost of the diesel fuel.”
Another problem is insurance.
“I can’t afford the insurance for drivers with less than three years experience,” he said. “The costs are just astronomical.”
Schneider National — the nation’s biggest trucking firm with 15,500 trucks — is also feeling the pinch.
“This is the most severe driver shortage that I have ever been a part of,” said Mike Norder, a spokesman for the Green Bay, Wisc.-based company.
The company in December announced drivers this year were getting double the pay raise they got last year.
Schneider has 30 drivers based within 50 miles of Reno, and most of those drivers are at home every night, Norder said.
“The key to growing and maintaining your fleet isn’t just increasing wages,” Norder said. “It’s designing new work that gets drivers home more often.”
Truck drivers have typically spent 10 to 14 days on the road in one stretch, Norder said. That can be hard on someone who wants a family life.
Schneider National is also adding satellite communication systems that allows drivers to send e-mails or get emergency messages from home, as well as call for help if their vehicles break down, Norder said.
“They’re not tied to a phone bank at a truck stop any more,” Norder said “Technology has been a great friend of the trucking industry.”
Two of CONUS’ newest drivers are Sean Sugden of Reno and Jeanie Highland of Sutcliffe.
Sugden worked in construction for a while before getting into truck driving 13 years ago. In that time, he carried building materials, propane and bombs to be used by the U.S. military in Iraq.
Sugden bought a 1998 Peterbilt and will be an owner/operator working for CONUS.
Getting into the business as an owner/operator isn’t easy, he said.
Decent used trucks start at about $35,000. New ones cost $150,000. Insurance and licensing is another $5,000. All of that is a lot of cash required for start-up.
“Basically, you have to go three months without drawing a paycheck,” Sugden said. “If you can survive that, then things only get easier.”
Highland has purchased a 2001 Freightliner.
She bought a refrigerator to put into her truck so she can make her own meals and avoid eating at truck stops.
It’s common for truckers to put in televisions, DVD players, satellite radio and satellite television to give them the comforts of home on the road, Highland said.
“It’s a rough life out there,” she said. “The truck owns you.”
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A convergence of regulatory issues, fuel prices and other factors such as insurance costs has dried up the pool of available drivers, said Richard Lange, safety and recruiting manager for the Sparks office of CONUS.
“Yes, there’s a tremendous shortage of drivers,” Lange said.
On any day of the week, CONUS is coordinating delivery of freight by as many as 150 big trucks out of its Sparks office to West Coast destinations.
About one out of every 10 jobs in the Reno area in December was in the category that includes truckers, wholesale warehousing and utility workers, said James Shabi, an economist with the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation.
That compares to about 8 percent nationally and less than 7 percent for Nevada as a whole, Shabi said.
Between 2002 and 2012, the trucking industry in the Reno area is expected to grow about 29 percent, said Gail Conkey, director of business services for the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada.
New federal laws took effect last year that required truckers to be off duty for 10 hours, instead of eight hours, and made some other changes in their work schedules, Lange said. He likes the law because it seems to be leading to better-rested drivers. But when moving freight, it has consequences.
“Within minutes, we became 84,000 drivers short as an industry,” Lange said.
CONUS hires drivers who own their trucks. Diesel fuel prices have shot up to more than $2 a gallon, but freight-shipping costs have not kept up, Lange said. So more than 50 drivers have dropped out in the last six months.
“The owners have to just park them,” Lange said. “They can’t afford to operate them because of the cost of the diesel fuel.”
Another problem is insurance.
“I can’t afford the insurance for drivers with less than three years experience,” he said. “The costs are just astronomical.”
Schneider National — the nation’s biggest trucking firm with 15,500 trucks — is also feeling the pinch.
“This is the most severe driver shortage that I have ever been a part of,” said Mike Norder, a spokesman for the Green Bay, Wisc.-based company.
The company in December announced drivers this year were getting double the pay raise they got last year.
Schneider has 30 drivers based within 50 miles of Reno, and most of those drivers are at home every night, Norder said.
“The key to growing and maintaining your fleet isn’t just increasing wages,” Norder said. “It’s designing new work that gets drivers home more often.”
Truck drivers have typically spent 10 to 14 days on the road in one stretch, Norder said. That can be hard on someone who wants a family life.
Schneider National is also adding satellite communication systems that allows drivers to send e-mails or get emergency messages from home, as well as call for help if their vehicles break down, Norder said.
“They’re not tied to a phone bank at a truck stop any more,” Norder said “Technology has been a great friend of the trucking industry.”
Two of CONUS’ newest drivers are Sean Sugden of Reno and Jeanie Highland of Sutcliffe.
Sugden worked in construction for a while before getting into truck driving 13 years ago. In that time, he carried building materials, propane and bombs to be used by the U.S. military in Iraq.
Sugden bought a 1998 Peterbilt and will be an owner/operator working for CONUS.
Getting into the business as an owner/operator isn’t easy, he said.
Decent used trucks start at about $35,000. New ones cost $150,000. Insurance and licensing is another $5,000. All of that is a lot of cash required for start-up.
“Basically, you have to go three months without drawing a paycheck,” Sugden said. “If you can survive that, then things only get easier.”
Highland has purchased a 2001 Freightliner.
She bought a refrigerator to put into her truck so she can make her own meals and avoid eating at truck stops.
It’s common for truckers to put in televisions, DVD players, satellite radio and satellite television to give them the comforts of home on the road, Highland said.
“It’s a rough life out there,” she said. “The truck owns you.”
http://equalizerpinpuller.com
Truck Driver Joke
A truck driver was driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads, "Low Bridge Ahead."Before he knows it, the bridge is right ahead of him and he gets stuck under the bridge. Cars are backed up for miles.Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks up to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, "Got stuck, huh?" The truck driver says, "No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas."
http://equalizerpinpuller.com
http://equalizerpinpuller.com
