PalmerTrucksNews

from layover.comKIRKLAND, Wash. - Tick, tick, tick.  That's the sound of driver turnover rates ticking upward,making driver comfort especially critical in fleet efforts to retain and recruit drivers.

The turnover rate for over-the-road drivers at large truckload fleets rose to 79 percent in the second quarter, its highest level since the second quarter of 2008, according to a recent American Trucking Associations (ATA) report.
 
An increase in average truck driver age, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program, coming hours of service revisions, and new health rules for drivers are among factors contributing to a growing driver shortage, which is estimated by some industry analysts to reach several hundred thousand. It can cost thousands of dollars to recruit a new driver to replace a driver who leaves."We don't expect that turnover number to abate anytime soon," said Reid Nabarrete, Kenworth assistant general manager for marketing and sales. "As a result, driver comfort is becoming an increasingly critical dynamic in both driver retention and recruitment. It's imperative for fleets to operate the right quality equipment and provide important amenities in their tractors to secure and keep drivers."
 
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