Tag Archive for: truck driver jobs

Freight Theft Increases on US Roads

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Keeping a close eye on freight and cargo loads is an important part of our business as a Midwest intermodal freight carrier. As the holidays envelop us, there may be more instances of cargo thefts. A recent report from logistics company FreightWatch Int’l. outlined 212 cargo thefts that occurred in the U.S. in the last recorded period (76 thefts in August, 84 in September, and 52 in October).

Freight-TheftAccording to the FreightWatch Int’l. report and detailed in a TruckingInfo article, cargo losses per incident totaled about $256,586 per theft. The number of thefts were lower, but the average dollar value of the losses increased dramatically by 58 percent. Almost a quarter of the thefts (22%) were food and drink cargo loads, and cargo thieves apparently were targeting meats, cereals, soft drinks and dry foods. Electronics cargo loads with TVs, computers, and computer accessories were the next highest raided, with 29 instances during the Aug-October period.

The Freightwatch Int’l. report noted that the top 5 states with the highest number of cargo thefts were California, Texas, Florida, Illinois and Georgia. In these states, about 75 percent of the incidents occurred, mostly from cargo loads in unsecured parking areas. The report noted that there were 157 container and trailer theft incidents, making these the most common type of theft (75%) of period total.

The numbers for the full year 2013 are not yet available, but there were almost 950 U.S. cargo theft incidents in 2012. That was the highest number of theft incidents on record for the cargo industry in the US.

Calhoun Truck Lines is vigilant about the protection of our cargo loads and our drivers in the area of cargo theft. With a combination of training and trucker best practices, we are able to keep any cargo theft that may occur to a very low percentage. Protection and preparation are key tools to use against cargo theft.

 

 

 

Transportation, Freight Crisis Looms in Midst of Overcapacity

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According to a new trucking/freight industry report, the U.S. regulatory environment for intermodal freight companies might be the largest factor in increased transportation costs.

“The State of Freight” report, written by FTR Snr. Consultant Noel Perry, looks at the upcoming capacity shifts for the trucking industry and the ramifications of proposed and ongoing government regulations.

Just a quick glance at the Rules and Regulations at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration site is likely enough to make any trucking company’s executive heads spin. But in fact, it’s this sort of massive regulatory environment that is forcing trucking executives to think hard about driver hiring decisions and capacity moves in the coming 18-24 months.

Trucking-MidwestIn a quote at FTR’s site, Perry says “If federal agencies do what they say they’re going to do, by the third quarter of 2015, we will need to hire another 160,000 drivers.” If this happens, Perry suggests, it may test the patience for intermodal trucking companies and freight firms.

A capacity crisis is one of the scenarios forecast in Perry’s report. He noted that regulatory changes may bring about additional driver hiring by trucking firms. The report forecasts some extra 160,000 drivers may be needed in two years’ time. And if demand doesn’t stay strong due to regulatory issues, government shutdowns or another recession, shortages may become the net result.

The trucking industry is already operating at tight margins of hiring, with leaner staffs and appropriate levels of trucks over the past few years. This has led to a manageable level of costs. But if there’s a great influx of demand, prices will have to go up correspondingly.

Calhoun Truck Lines continues to watch the overall regulatory area for changes, and how it affects our freight business in the Midwest. As we move closer to 2014, we hopefully anticipate more growth in our business. If your business is looking to move cargo, contact one of our five Midwest locations for a customized shipping solution.

Calhoun Insights into Truck Driver Resources and Retention

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The issue of truck driver pay and industry retention of the drivers is the focus of a new three-part series at Commercial Carrier Journals.

The article, “Weighing demand for drivers, Part 1: Shippers prepare for capacity crunch“ looks to cover the reasons behind the industry’s driver shortage in the US, and the impact it’s having on shippers, fleets, truck drivers, capacity and more. Writer Kevin Jones (Senior Editor, Trucking Media) sees that the simple solution to increasing the numbers of drivers should be to raise their wages. But it’s not that easy. He writes:

“Though pay in some trucking niches has surged, it has been comparatively flat for trucking as a whole. Since 2003, wages for the entire for-hire trucking industry have grown 32 percent, slightly less than the entire private work force, at 34 percent.”

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The article describes reasons besides stagnant wages why there has been what it calls a ‘persistent’ driver shortage:

  • Older drivers: A large number of long-time drivers are approaching retirement age;
  • New regulations: Many drivers have left because of new regulations like the Compliance Safety Accountability program, have pushed many drivers out of the industry;
  • Productivity losses: losses due to new hours-of-service regulations will increase driver demand, and;
  • Reluctance: Fleets are reluctant to add capacity in a sporadic economic recovery.

Let’s face facts: The last five years have not been great for the trucking industry as a whole. It’s been a prolonged period of stagnation on the economic recovery front. And moreover, driver pay won’t dramatically increase unless the trucking business costs lower or the industry as whole increases the volume of moving shipments. Under the current administration, it’s not an entirely promising outlook.

But in the midst of these difficulties, Calhoun Truck Lines has increased our driver fleet 35% this year.  Much of our firm’s success relates to allocating more resources towards driver retention and driver education. We spent more time training our drivers and using a variety of incentives to retain our fleet. Yes, the overall regulatory environment and an evolving intermodal sector is difficult to manage in the midst of these changes. But we feel that this environment can present many opportunities for drivers to succeed and stay close to home.

If you’re a truck driver and interested in driving for one of the leading intermodal trucking firms in the Midwest, please contact us. We’d be happy to learn more about you and see if you’re ready to go trucking with us.

Calhoun Truck Lines Seeking Drivers for 2013

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There has been a resurgence in employee hiring across many industries in the past several months, and as a result, Calhoun Truck Lines has been busier than ever. And as the economy picks up, so too does our business. It’s been seen across the trucking industry as a whole as well.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that that trucking firms added 4,200 jobs in December 2012. And as we move more intermodal shipments and cargo across the Midwest, we are convinced that the U.S. economy will continue to move ahead, slowly but forcefully.

This growth in trucking jobs leads to more of a need for drivers in our business. We believe that there are great opportunities ahead for drivers who are committed to safe driving records and a strong work ethic. Calhoun Truck Lines is committed to seeking out and hiring the best drivers, and we are planning to compensate these drivers appropriately.

truck driving jobs Calhoun Truck LinesAs one of the Midwest’s leading trucking firms, we know the importance of a good driver safety program. Drivers who place safety ahead of all else are the types of drivers we want. These kinds of drivers can help us grow our business in the Midwest, and help themselves grow earning potential.   

Our trucking firms views our driver fleet as business partners in our enterprise. We commit to accurate settlements and competitive rates. Our drivers deal with experienced and competent dispatch operators, and are generally home at night. Plus we offer a lease purchase program for the trucks in our fleet.   

You can download a pre-qualifying application to be a trucking specialist with our firm. At Calhoun Truck Lines, we take the safety of our truckers and the cargo very seriously. We work with all our drivers in the Federal Motor Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety and Accountability (CSA) BASIC program. It’s a program designed to provide a threshold of safety for intermodal trucking companies and their drivers. It is Calhoun’s goal to go above and beyond the minimum threshold of safety and reduce driver violations.

By moving ahead in 2013, truckers and drivers across the US can help get our country back up to its optimal economic speed.

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