The Trucking Industry Continues to Transport Orders Despite Lack of Drivers
Trucking is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States and has continued to grow both in revenue and in goods transported. Recently, the industry has faced a shortage of drivers. Despite this, however, the industry topped over ten billion tons of cargo at an estimated value of $700 billion in 2017. The trucking industry is a driving force in our nation’s economy. Regulated truckers ensure that their trucks are safe, efficient, and reliable to transport produce, natural resources, and manufactured goods to America’s markets. These over-regulated, often underpaid, drivers must challenge every cited violation with the assistance of a knowledgeable traffic ticket attorney.
Statistics also show that trucking accounts for nearly 70 percent of trade between Mexico and the USA and almost 58 percent of Canadian-US trade. Therefore, many American truckers are involved in international transport.
Driver Shortages in the Trucking Industry
Trucking is an incredibly lucrative industry, yet it remains a slightly less than desirable career for many Americans. The trucking industry involves long hours on the road and often requires drivers to spend much of their week away from their loved ones. Although the average trucker's salary has gone up marginally compared to inflation and the time spent on the road and at the loading dock, these work conditions have led to a reduction in the total number of drivers in the industry.
Ordinarily, there are around 3.5 million drivers at any given time in the trucking industry, which does not count bus drivers. Although some statistics speculate there is a shortage of approximately 50,000 drivers, other experts put the number at closer to one million, considering the future needs of both local and long-haul drivers for both buses and trucks. Some blame e-commerce, some the over-regulation of the industry, and some others speculate that the cause is the number of drivers retiring without replacement. The average age of long-haul drivers is 55, and females (only 6% of drivers) and young men make up an ever-dwindling percentage of drivers.
And yet, somehow, despite this, the numbers are increasing when it comes to revenue from trucking. In fact, these number are up almost 4% between 2016 and 2017. The evidence that the industry is thriving is clear and visible in the statistical data analysis of 2017 bringing revenue to over $700 billion.
Keeping Truckers in the Industry
It is important for truckers to stay current and be defensive about their careers. When drivers get traffic tickets or violations of any kind, it is crucial for them to hire an attorney. These violations can take years and thousands of dollars to get removed from their record after the fact.
Despite shortages nationwide, high-paying firms have a 90% turnover rate. A conviction for what many outside the industry would consider petty can be a career ender for professional drivers. Once your driving record gets tainted by a traffic ticket conviction, it will go with you on every job application in the form of an FMCSA PSP and required ten-year history.
Local drivers in CA not only have to contend with the violation on their motor vehicle driving record (MVR), they also receive Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) points and violations are recorded on the Employer Pull Notice (EPN) Program, pre-employment checks.Fighting Traffic Tickets in the Trucking Industry
Whether you are a veteran in the trucking world or just starting out, it is important to be defensive and protective of your driving record. Disputing a ticket and making sure that you are adequately heard in court (when necessary) could be the difference between a significantly higher salary and an unemployment check.
The trucking industry is thriving in the United States right now despite the shortage of drivers and is continuing to be a lucrative career path with a continuously rising median salary. If you are in the trucking industry, protect your career by contacting an attorney for all traffic tickets and disputing any CSA points, whether warranted or not.
Traffic ticket and CSA points are handed out for minor mistakes such as a slightly overweight truck, muddied running lights, or a failure to update a log. Drivers and their lawyers must work together to collect the supplemental information to show that caution and safety were used. Most importantly, drivers must make the state prove their guilt rather than just taking the convenient way out and paying the fine.
In Every Instance of a Trucking Violation, it Is Crucial to Consult with a Lawyer
The trucker-friendly firm of Bigger & Harman regularly represents truckers and other CDL holders in Traffic Court in Lamont. Although Lamont, CA, in Central Valley is a tough traffic court, Bigger & Harman have a solid reputation there. Call Bigger & Harman for a free phone consultation about your trucking traffic tickets, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español 661.349.9755.
Send an email to attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The Transport Topics website article, “Trucking Industry Revenue Topped $700 Billion in 2017, ATA Report Shows” by Dan Ronan 20 August 2018
The Trucks.com website article, “New ATA Report Forecasts Steady Growth for Trucking Industry” by Clarissa Hawes 19 July 2017
The American Trucking Association (ATA) website article, “Reports, Trends & Statistics” no author listed