Every family in America is facing the same problem, the rising gas prices. However, this problem is not hitting the families as hard as it is hitting the trucking industry. It is commonly debated amongst people in the trucking industry which problem is harder to overcome, the gas prices or the lack of drivers. The issue with the lack of drivers may be overcome by increasing the pay or offering better benefits, the rising gas prices simply can’t be fought. Trucks need the gas in order to complete their deliveries, so it is essentially a need for their company, they can’t function without it.
According to a report within the Critical Issues in the Trucking Industry 2022, for the first time in five years, the fuel costs are the primary concern for drivers. According to the article, the year-over-year increase is over 35%. This is a major issue for those that operate in the owner-operator segment, where they have less of a chance to negotiate the fuel surcharges.
Based on the survey completed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, fuel prices is at the top of the list for both truck drivers and carrier executives. Over 47 percent of the respondents were professional truck drivers and 39 percent were motor executives. Other noteworthy issues for the truck drivers were truck parking and driver compensation, while the driver shortage and driver retention were the other main concerns of the motor carriers.
A surprising note would be that fuel prices weren’t even in the top ten of concerns for the trucking industry just last year. There were a number of concerns ahead of fuel costs in 2021, like driver shortage, truck parking, driver compensation, driver retention, and lawsuit abuse reform being the top five concerns.
Some people reading this article may think this will not apply to them. While you may not run a trucking company, or even know someone who does, you are going to be impacted by this issue on a daily basis. In order to make the hauls worth their efforts, the companies have to raise their prices so they can even make any money. If the trucking companies are raising their prices, the food stores have to raise their prices as well, so the consumer will have to pay more for goods than they ever did before.
While we know there is very little to do about the rising costs of fuel, there are a few things that companies can do to help optimize the efficiency of their truck loads. Some companies have turned towards using a Fleet management software system that will provide drivers with optimized routes, cut down on long distances, and even alert drivers when their trucks have been idling for too long which wastes a substantial amount of gas.
Every industry in the world is facing an issue in some way, and the trucking industry is fighting to stay alive thanks to gas prices. There is very little a company can do to combat these prices as they are a necessity to their business, but there are a few software programs that companies are turning towards to maximize their efficiency.
Regardless of what’s going on in the trucking industry, Ship a Car, Inc. is always here to provide you with unparalleled freight transport services at the best possible price. Contact us today to get your free transport quote.
