Hispanics account for one in seven of the nation’s 1.3 million long-haul truckers.
One in six long-haul drivers are nearing retirement.
Driver recruitment is lacking industry growth. Industry expansion is growing at 2.2 percent a year while the number of new truckers in 2004 increased only 1.6 percent.
If these trends hold, the current 20,000 driver shortfall will balloon to 110,000 by 2014, a figure that doesn’t include the 219,000 truckers expected to retire during that period. (American Trucking Association)
Hispanics are the country’s fastest growing ethnic group, accounting for one-half of the popylation’s growth between July 1, 2003 and July 1, 2004 and filling one of every three job openings. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
For more trends and facts of Why Worker Shortages Will Not Go Away, go to Perfect Labor Storm.
..and the broken down dangerous monster trucks you can afford at $1 /hr., at least if the discount rate returns to 1% and oil prices return to $20 per barrel rather than go through the roof due to the peak oil problem.