Whether it’s the pandemic, lack of new truck allocations, parts shortages, inflation, high diesel prices, or a need for more qualified technicians, the trucking industry (along with most other businesses) is facing increasing headwinds. That’s forcing CEOs, CFOs, and Fleet Managers to find ways to cut costs. The biggest mistake […]
If there’s been one issue that always rises to the top for commercial fleets, especially those that are long haulers, it’s been the shortage of qualified truck drivers. According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), last year there was a deficit of 80,000 drivers and it’s only expected to get […]
Safety is always top of mind for the trucking industry. That’s why there’s been so much interest in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and why the Federal government is encouraging fleets to voluntarily adopt this technology. This encouragement falls in line with recent safety recommendations from the NTSB which doesn’t […]
Businesses are facing enormous challenges, all coming at the same time. We had hoped that conditions would improve as COVID-19 became controllable and life might return to normal. But supply chain shortages have gotten worse, impacting the ability to get parts and components. Diesel fuel is at an all-time high […]
Last week, I posted an IdeaXchange blog that discussed how to set effective business goals. The goal of setting goals is not to post utopian or “pie in the sky” expectations, but to set goals that are achievable. In the blog I detail the following tips: Get buy-in from company […]
Driver shortages, technician shortages, supply chain shortages…they all have major impacts on the trucking industry. One shortage that doesn’t get as much coverage…truck parking shortages. Want to make life harder for drivers? Subject them to HOS regulations and then have them spend time looking for available spots to park legally. […]
When COVID-19 first hit and for quite a while after, the roads and highways became emptier than they had been in years. People were working remotely from home (no commute), stores and restaurants were either closed down or only doing curbside pickup or takeout delivery. Logically, this should have led […]
There may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel for the seemingly never-ending shortage of qualified technicians. I’ve often written about the major problem facing fleets when it comes to recruiting technicians: a workforce that is aging out with fewer younger workers looking at this as a […]
Last month, a headline in a CDL Life article stated “Five days into 2022 and some dealerships are already out of semi trucks for the year.” Although this article referred to dealers in Kansas, the reality is that fleets are facing this shortage all across the U.S. and Canada. This […]