Is long-haul trucking really facing a driver shortage?

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2024-11-22 04:00:02

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021 certainly was sprawling. Among its many provisions was a required study into how compensation in the long-haul trucking industry relates to keeping drivers in the job, and how it relates to safety.

Among the findings from a committee of experts? Skepticism about the common complaint from trucking companies that they face a persistent labor shortage. Marketplace’s senior economics contributor Chris Farrell in St. Paul has been looking into this, and he spoke with “Marketplace Morning Report” host David Brancaccio. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

David Brancaccio: There is a lot of turnover among long-haul drivers, right? I mean, no one thinks it’s easy work. But what’s the reality on the ground that this study finds?