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Dear Editor:
U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) continues to be one of the biggest purveyors of the truck driver shortage myth. Don’t be fooled for one second; the very same concerns for which Senator Young now “carries water,” have been beating the driver shortage drum for 20-plus years.
Long before “COVID” and the supply chain crisis were part of the daily discourse, these large carriers have long had annual driver turnover rates exceeding 100 percent! In fact, it’s gotten so bad that the big companies have incorporated the driver “churn” into their business models. They simply invest in technology and surveillance systems as opposed to driver benefits and remuneration.
Senator Young’s mega carrier constituency cares little about experience, skills and proven safety records.
There is simply not enough infrastructure to accommodate the existing fleet of over-the-road trucks now, Senator Young! Where does Senator Young think 80,000 newly-minted teenage truckers are going to park and buy fuel?
Perhaps drive instead of fly the 600 miles from D.C. back to your state once in a while and take a look at some of the truck stops after 8:00 at night! Where should they all park, Senator? Truckers routinely shut down early because they know they will not have a place to park even if they have hours available to drive.
A recent MIT study concluded that just 18 minutes per day added to the typical trucker’s schedule would completely eliminate your so-called truck driver shortage. But then that would also of course obviate the need for your donors to exploit a new demographic of teenagers.
Senator Young and his ilk claim to be free market advocates until those markets resist their manipulation.
Mike Nichols
M J Nichols Company, Inc.
Waunakee, Wis.
I am an owner operator trucker with approximately 2.5 million accident-free miles operating a class 8 tractor trailer in the lower 48 states.