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Truck drivers are the basic unit of transportation capacity and the glue that holds supply chains together. No container or straight truck or trailer moves without, at some point, a truck driver. Even so, trucking companies, especially truckload carriers and household van lines often have great difficulty finding, hiring and keeping drivers. Nearly every period of economic growth is accompanied by a driver “shortage,” including the recovery that we seem to be experiencing.

Is today¹s shortage truly a demographic lack of available qualified drivers, or is it a market shortage created by comparatively low pay and unsatisfactory working conditions? How will federal regulations governing licensing, medical testing, safety enforcement and how long drivers may work affect demand and supply? Unless trucking companies, logistics providers and shippers work together to finally resolve trucking¹s driver problem, transportation and logistics costs will rise substantially, and supply chains will be put at risk and those making even a local relocation will be severely impacted. This is especially true during the summer months in the moving industry which is referred to as the “peak season.” Linda Darr, President of the American Moving Association recently said, “there is such a concentrated amount of relocations occurring at the same time that capacity becomes a real issue and creates a shortage in 2013 that has never been experienced before causing all major van lines to take on no new business especially in June.” Moving industry insiders advise to act well in advance of the impending move day, at the very least 60 days ahead and book the move with confirmed dates in writing as soon as possible using a licensed and insured ProMover.