A nationwide challenge that continues to affect the trucking industry is the driver shortage. The same questions continue to surface, where are the drivers? Are they all migrating to a different skill set/industry? Or is there simply just more demand than ever and not enough heads to put in the trucks?
There’s no doubt that demand has significantly increased in recent years with strong consumer and industrial activity, keeping freight networks busy. However, could the answer be in the form of a new technology that many can utilize without being aware of the impact it has on certain industries? Apps like Uber and Lyft have become increasingly popular to consumers in recent years, but even more so have become popular to the workforce.
Uber and Lyft have brought a whole new range of benefits to the workforce and could be the very reason why industries that rely on truck drivers are on a constant search for people to get behind the wheel.
If you stop and think about it, is there any reason why Uber or Lyft would not be attractive to a driver? The freedom to create your own hours, choose your routes, and be home every night all sound like something we would like to take advantage of whether you are a driver or not. Now Uber is implementing new features to benefit their drivers such as “Quick Pay” features that allow drivers to get paid faster. New incentive programs that offer discounts on fuel, tires, maintenance and the purchase of new and used vehicles also bring a unique difference to the company versus its competitors.
With all that said Uber & Lyft don’t have to be the only companies out there creating these outside of the box ideas and benefits. If you find yourself using an Uber or Lyft service try striking up a conversation with your driver. You may learn what is going on in the trucking industry and find ideas to help improve your driver situation, or in a surprising matter it may even be a recruiting opportunity. Never hurts to have a conversation!
