“This is an over-the-road, for-hire truckload problem,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. Private and less-than-truckload fleets are facing hiring issues, but the shortage largely comprises long-haul or over-the-road drivers.
He said the shortage is determined based on the amount of available freight and the number of drivers needed to haul that. During the Great Recession, he noted a significant decline in freight demand led to a driver surplus. Source TBP