From Leah’s Desk: Redefine the value of an inexperienced driver and focus on trucking’s long game
Why should your fleet evaluate your minimum experience requirements? I’m glad you asked. I’ve jotted down my notes and thoughts in this month’s From Leah’s Desk.
Notable pandemic-era driver pay trend reversed course this quarter
Driver wage gains saw a renewed momentum in 2023’s second quarter, showing a little life after gains were mostly flat in the last quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, according to the latest data from NTI’s National Survey of Driver Wages and National Driver Wage Index. Also, a notable trend from the pandemic recovery years of 2021 and 2022 reversed course this quarter. See our full 2023 Q2 driver wages data trends and highlights.
Watch: NTI interviews FMCSA on trucking workforce policies, driver pay’s relation to safety, truck parking, and more
From driver pay and truck parking to attracting younger drivers and implementing policies to make trucking appealing to more women, FMCSA Robin Hutcheson chatted one on one with NTI President & CEO Leah Shaver this week about her top priorities as head of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Watch the full interview.
What’s next for driver wages after a 5-year rollercoaster ride?
In our 2023 Driver Market Forecast, NTI explores in-depth the critical themes and trends impacting driver supply and availability and the factors influencing driver wages in 2023, as well as how driver pay structures could evolve in the coming decade. We also provided our forecast for wage growth in 2023, offering our expectations for where the recent rollercoaster ride goes next.
Women & The Wheel: A recap and resources your fleet can utilize
This Women’s History Month, the NTI blog has explored themes and policies that aim to answer one question: How can we make trucking a more attractive and secure career choice for women of all ages, of all backgrounds, and of all family situations? Find a recap of our Women & The Wheel series here and resources your fleets can use to evaluate your internal policies and programs.
Women & The Wheel: Safety policies, leadership representation, and programs to support working parents build a culture where women can thrive
From HR leaders to professional drivers, women working in trucking sound off on how to create a company culture that’s inclusive and drives momentum to recruit and retain women in transportation careers.
Women & The Wheel: Mentorship programs are foundational to making trucking a sought-after career
This week in our Women & The Wheel series, we’re focusing on mentorship programs as one of the most important avenues for the industry and for individual fleets to draw women to the industry and keep them here, and we’re highlighting the story of Rachel Lovell, VP of People Operations at the Jackson, Tennessee-based 700-truck truckload carrier Ascend. NTI recently spoke with Lovell about her experience in the industry, her insights about the power of mentorship for women, and the importance of awareness of opportunities in trucking available to women.
Women & The Wheel: A conversation during Women’s History Month
Women & The Wheel will bring conversations to the NTI Blog about the real experiences of women in our industry, what they’ve learned and can teach from their years (or even decades) working in trucking, and how motor carriers and private fleets can continue to build on the momentum of establishing trucking as a secure, attractive, and rewarding career for women of all ages and backgrounds.
Q1 2023 driver wages data trends: Upward momentum slows, but pay gains still historically strong year over year
Mileage, hourly, and annual earnings for professional truck drivers continued to grow in the first quarter of 2023, according to The National Transportation Institute’s National Survey of Driver Wages and National Driver Wage Index. Likewise, fleets continue to pad compensation add-ons like bonuses, productivity incentives, and accessorials pay.
Fighting fatigue of seniority-based load bidding: 3 ways to reward drivers working less-desirable shifts
In NTI’s work with private and dedicated fleets, that’s a common concern we hear: Seniority-based bid systems contribute to frustration of new hires and churn among early tenured truckers. Here are three ways your fleet can help soothe those frustrations, incentivize weekend shifts and other lesser desired loads, and manage hang-ups caused by seniority-based load bidding programs
