Long distance truck drivers--their joys and frustrations.

Johnson, James C. ; Bristow, Dennis N. ; McClure, Diane J. 等

INTRODUCTION

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

Confucius (551-479 BC)

My father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it. I never did like to work, and I don't deny it. I'd rather read, tell stories, crack jokes, talk, laugh--anything but work.

Abraham Lincoln (1809 -1865)

The trucking industry has a serious problem retaining an adequate number of long-distance truck drivers. In 2006, according to the American Transportation Research Institute, the research division of the American Trucking Association, the driver shortage was the most important problem facing the trucking industry. This finding was based on their survey of more than 5,000 trucking company executives and published in their annual list of the top ten concerns of the nation's largest trucking companies. In 2007, the driver shortage slipped to the second most important problem, (Gallagher 2007b) and in 2008, it was listed as the third most serious concern, with fuel costs the number one problem, and the weak economy as the second most serious issue facing the trucking industry (Outsourced Logistics 2008; Automotive Fleet 2008; Traffic World 2008).

As noted, the driver shortage is less severe in 2009 because of the twin problems of higher fuel costs in most of 2008 and the weakened economy. This has resulted in many trucking companies going out of business. For example, the American Trucking Association reported that during 2008, more than 3,600 trucking companies declared bankruptcy (Hoffman 2008; Roth 2008; Roth 2009). James P. Hoffa, president of the largest truck driver union, the Teamsters, stated that the recent business setting is "the worst economic environment since the Great Depression." (Gallagher 2008c) Because of this situation, his union in early 2009 agreed to a 10 percent hourly wage rate reduction with the largest LTL (less than truckload) carrier, YRC Worldwide. This action was taken because some financial observers believed that YRC would fail if it did not substantially reduce its cost structure (Gallagher 2009).

Although the driver shortage is less problematic now, it will again become a pressing problem because of demographics and trucking industry growth. The American Trucking Association commissioned a study by Global Insights, Inc. to examine the U.S. long-distance truck driver shortage. The report was completed in May 2005 and concluded that between 2005 and 2015 there will be a need to attract 539,000 new drivers to meet industry requirements. The report assumed that the trucking industry would grow at a rate of 2.2 percent per year, for an increase of 320,000 drivers in the ten year period. Also, looking at long-distance drivers who are 55 and older, and assuming they retire at 65, an additional 219,000 drivers will be needed to replace these workers (Global Insights, Inc. 2005). Joe White, a transportation consultant, examined the ATA Study and observed,

My opinion is that the driver shortage will be worse than predicted. Regardless of when the economy recovers, the large baby boomer demographic will soon begin retiring from all industries and the blue-collar labor competition will become fierce (Gallagher 2008b; see also White 2008a; White 2008b).

Not only will there be a future shortage of drivers, the problem of driver turnover will undoubtedly continue. Turnover is measured by comparing the number of drivers hired who quit within one year and dividing that by the total number of drivers hired. For example, if a trucking company has ten drivers and each driver works the entire year, they have a zero percentage turnover. Now assume just five of them work the entire year. The other five quit during the year and have to be replaced; we would then have a turnover rate for the company of 50 percent. If all ten of the original drivers quit and had to be replaced during the year, then the turnover rate would be 100 percent. In 2003 it was reported that half of all long-distance truck drivers leave their jobs after three months (Human Resource Management International Digest 2003). In 2007, the American Trucking Association stated that the driver turnover rate for long-distance truckload carriers was 127 percent. The highest it has been in recent years was 136 percent in 2005 (Traffic World 2007). By early 2009, because of the weak economic environment, it had fallen to 65 percent (Roth 2009), which is still a huge and expensive problem for the trucking industry.

There will be a future shortage of long-distance truck drivers. The purpose of this study is to determine exactly what these drivers like and dislike about their jobs. Once this is better understood, the trucking industry, and their recruiters, will be in an improved position to (a) emphasize the joys that these drivers experience and (b) minimize the frustrations that this job presents to its workers.

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

The great majority of academic research has centered on the problems of recruitment and turnover of long-distance truck drivers. Only a few studies have examined beneficial aspects of being a long-distance truck driver. The work itself, involving the independence of being your own boss when you are on the highway, was noted in a survey of Iowa truck drivers (Fuller and Walter 1993). Another study looked at the importance of driving new and better equipment (McElroy, Rodriquez, Griffin, Morrow, and Wilson 1993). Other studies mentioned the high income potential (Rodriguez and Griffin 1990) and the drivers' desire to travel around the United States (Stephenson and Fox 1996).

The detrimental aspects of being a long-distance truck driver have received far more analysis by academic researchers. One book length study by Michael H. Belzer is entitled, Sweatshops On Wheels. The dust jacket to Belzer's book states:

Most long-distance drivers are earning less than half of pre-deregulation (1980) wages and receiving reduced health and retirement benefits. With work weeks averaging more than 65 hours and average annual work hours estimated at nearly 3,400, truck drivers are working harder and earning less today than at any time during the last four decades (Belzer 2000).

A number of studies have examined aspects of driver dissatisfaction with their jobs and related issues:

* Excessive waiting at the loading and unloading docks (Crum and Morrow 2002).

* Excessively long work weeks (de Croon, Sluiter, Blon, Broersen and Frings-Dresen 2004; Crum and Morrow 2002).

* Lack of advancement opportunities (Min and Lambert 2002).

* Lack of job security (Min and Lambert 2002).

* Low pay (Min and Lambert 2002).

* Management's lack of empathy for their drivers work related problems (Richard, LeMay, Taylor and Turner 1994a; Richard, LeMay, Taylor, and Turner 1994b).

* Role of dispatchers in scheduling home time (Corsi and Fanara 1988; Keller 2002; Keller and Ozment 1999a; Keller and Ozment 1999b; Morrow, Suzuki, Crum, Ruben and Pautsch 2005; Richard, LeMay, and Taylor 1995).

* Excessive driver turnover rates (Beilock and Capelle 1990; Suzuki 2007).

* Effective methods of driver recruitment (Dobie, Rakowski, and Southern 1998; LeMay and Taylor 1988; Min and Eman 2003).

TRADE PUBLICATION ARTICLES

Transportation and trucking trade publications have also discussed the long-distance truck driver turnover and retention issues:

* Difficult to find parking locations (Matthews 2007; Natter 2007).

* Excessive time delays when loading or unloading (Richardson 1994).

* Excessive state and federal regulations (The Wall Street Journal 2008b; Natter 2008a; Natter 2008b).

* Working longer hours for less pay (Sturgress 1997; Gallagher 2007a; Gallagher 2008a).

* Excessive nights away from home (Shaw 2005; Bernard, Bouch and Young 2000; Morton 2007).

* Not a respected occupation (The Gallup Organization 1997).

* High fuel prices are stressing owner-operators (The Wall Street Journal 2008a; Cassidy and Gallagher 2008; McAuliffe 2008).

OVERALL DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES

The data in this study were collected from professional truck drivers who had stopped at a large regional truck stop in the Midwest. The truck stop was located off a heavily traveled Interstate highway. The development of the research methodology and the survey items used in the study began with a review of the relevant literature and the creation of a battery of questions related to long-distance trucking. Those questions were reviewed in detail in subsequent meetings between the primary researchers and managers at a national transportation firm specializing in over-the-road trucking. Based upon discussion with those managers, several of the questions were revised and reworded in order to incorporate language and terms appropriate to long-distance truck drivers, and several new questions were added to the questionnaire.

After meeting with the trucking firm officials, an outline of the research program was presented to the management team of the previously mentioned truck stop. Those managers enthusiastically supported the research and granted the researchers permission to administer questionnaires to long-distance truck drivers as they relaxed in the "drivers only" lounge at the facility. The management team of the truck stop also agreed to place professionally created signage at strategic locations in the truck stop restaurant and gift shop. Those signs described the study and informed truckers when the researchers would begin conducting interviews. Interviews were conducted at various times of the day (mornings, afternoons, and evenings) and on different days of the week during a three-week period. The primary researchers dressed in shirts and hats that clearly identified the university with which they were affiliated.

Individual truckers were approach by one of the primary researchers as the trucker entered the drivers' lounge at the facility or as they paid for their fuel just prior to entering the lounge. The researcher introduced him/herself to the truck driver, explained the nature of the study, informed the driver that the interview would require about ten minutes and that as "thank you" for participating; the driver would receive a specially designed baseball style cap. While no specific response data were collected, a conservative estimate of driver response rate would be 95 percent. Indeed it was unusual to have a driver elect not to participate in the study.

Each interview was conducted with the trucker and the primary researcher seated at a table or sofa in the drivers' lounge. The interview area was somewhat secluded from the shopping area of the lounge and environmental noise was limited. Prior to beginning each interview, participating drivers were asked two qualifying questions. First, "Does your job as a trucker keep you away from home at least two nights per week?" If the answer was no, the interview was discontinued. We then thanked the individual for agreeing to participate, but informed the driver that this survey was not meant for him or her. (The purpose of this qualifying question was to assure that our sample consisted only of long-distance over-the-road drivers. This was necessary because the truck stop also sold fuel to local delivery drivers.)

We then asked each driver the second qualifying question. "To speed up our interview and to provide us with more complete records is it okay if I tape-record your answers to the questions? We will not keep a record of who said what, just what got said as we interview 100 or more truck drivers over the next few weeks." No drivers refused to have their responses audio recorded. Actual interview times ranged from under ten minutes to well over thirty minutes, mostly varying with the extensiveness of a driver's responses to the open-ended questions. When each driver had finished answering the open-ended questions, we then asked the driver to read and complete a brief demographic section about themselves. Upon completion of all interviews, the participants' audio taped responses were transcribed in order to facilitate detailed analyses.

DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF STUDY PARTICIPANTS

By the end of the two-week study period, we had completed personal interviews with 104 long-distance, over-the-road drivers. The resulting sample of drivers proved to be quite diverse, in terms of both personal characteristics and in terms of job-related characteristics.

With respect to personal characteristics, driver ages spanned a range from 23 years old to 68 years old, with an overall median age of 44.5 years old. Most were concentrated between 30 and 59 years old; fewer than ten percent were younger than 30 and fewer than ten percent were 60 or older. Reflecting the general population of long-distance drivers, only 1.9 percent of our interviewees were female (i.e., just two out of the 104 drivers in our sample). In addition, 59.6 percent of our drivers were married, and 39.2 percent were then living with at least one dependent child.

Drivers were equally diverse in terms of job-related characteristics. While only 15.4 percent were new drivers with five or fewer years working as a long-distance driver, exactly half of them had accumulated at least sixteen years of experience. Just over one-half were owner/operators (53.8%) and, of course, just under one-half were company drivers (46.2%). Interestingly, slightly more than 70 percent had been away from home more than fifteen of the past twenty-eight nights (71.1%), and nearly 40 percent had been away more than twenty nights (39.4%).

Allowing for multiple answers, 38.5 percent responded that they typically pull vans, 34.6 percent reefers, 30.8 percent flat beds, 10.6 percent tankers, and 18.3 percent other loads. Finally, about one in four were driving a fairly new--two years old or newer--tractor that day (25.3%), while only about one in ten were driving a tractor eleven years old or older (11.7%).

While it is simply not possible to document this to a perfect certainty, given the diverse characteristics found among the 104 drivers in our sample, it seems justifiable to conclude that they do, in fact, constitute a reasonably representative cross-section of over-the-road truck drivers. Therefore, the authors are confident that the attitudes and opinions expressed by these drivers accurately reflect those of truck drivers across North America.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTREPRETATION

Data collection and analysis utilized a rather innovative combination of quantitative methods of data collection with qualitative methods of data analysis and interpretation. As to data collection, the researchers opted to employ structured personal interviews. This entailed face-to-face in-person interviews between one of the primary researchers and a trucker respondent. However, the open-ended questions used to assess truckers' joys and frustrations were prescribed (and shown in the sections to follow), and fixed. Further, probing was done in as neutral a manner as possible and used only to encourage respondents to complete or expand upon an answer. (For example, respondents occasionally provided only one response to a question that specifically sought two responses. If so, respondents were reminded that a second response would be acceptable, should they so desire.) While probing, the researchers did not suggest or otherwise indicate different, additional areas on which respondents might reflect.

Thus, the interviewing techniques were more similar to those used in survey research with in-person interviews involving open-ended questions than those used in unstructured in-depth or focus group interviews associated with qualitative research. Additionally, the sample size was larger than what is typical of qualitative research, though admittedly slim by the standards of most quantitative research studies. In total, just over 100 long distance truck drivers were interviewed for the study, lending considerably greater response reliability than is normally achievable in qualitative research. Therefore, while the sample size was too small to calculate specific margins of error, the possibility of such correlations is relevant to studies with sample sizes in this range. When engaging in in-depth interviews with, say, fifteen to twenty persons, such statistical ideas are simply not within the realm of consideration.

On the other hand, the researchers attempted to faithfully follow accepted best practices for analyzing and interpreting qualitative data, in this case, in the form of responses to two open ended questions. It would be hyperbole to suggest that the researchers followed grounded theory methods step by step, as originally proposed by Glaser and Strauss (1967) and further refined, sometimes divergently, by Strauss (1987), Glaser (1992), Strauss and Corbin (1990) and Charmaz (2006). Indeed, there was no attempt to "push" the data analysis and interpretation to the development of any sort of underlying theory. Nonetheless, in extending the data analysis as far as the authors wished, many of the early-steps procedures of grounded theory were employed, steps which are also broadly consistent with what other qualitative researchers label thematic analysis (see, for example, Ezzy 2002 and Grbich (2007)). Specifically, the researchers generally patterned their analysis after recommendations given in the chapter on thematic coding and categorizing in Gibbs (2007) and in the chapter on analyzing and interpreting data in Dayman and Holloway (2002). Perhaps most importantly, after transcribing the audio taped responses to the two open-ended questions, the researchers utilized open coding, allowing categories to emerge from the data. This means both that the researchers allowed the categories to emerge from the responses rather than imposing any predetermined conceptual framework onto the data and also that, as far as humanly possible, the researchers suspended preconceived ideas and notions about what sorts of responses to anticipate.

The entire set of responses to a question was first read to provide the researchers with a broad understanding of the pattern of responses. Each response from each respondent was then read and analyzed carefully, highlighting (a coding mechanism) key or important words and phrases used by the respondent. After completing that process, each response was again reviewed, and similar, sometimes virtually identical responses, were aggregated together. As soon as two such "matches" were noted, the researchers tentatively named and defined the category, with names derived as much as possible from the key words and phrases found in the responses themselves. As additional responses were reviewed that matched an emerging category, they were added to the proper category. As anyone who has undertaken qualitative thematic analysis can attest, this process was somewhat iterative, with new categories being added and revisions being made to the names and definitions of extant categories, until the final set that appears in subsequent sections of this article resulted.

THE JOYS OF BEING A LONG-DISTANCE TRUCK DRIVER

Each respondent was asked, "What are the two things you most like about being a truck driver?" We were able to categorize the responses into six general themes or categories. Each of these themes will be examined below in the descending order of frequency.

INDEPENDENCE - The most common response to this question was the independence of doing what you want, when you want to do it. This answer was noted by about 71 percent of the drivers. Below are five typical comments from the drivers. Each of these statements is either a direct quotation or an amalgamation of the comments of two or more drivers.

* The freedom, you can work during the day somewhat when you want and when you need to take a break you can and that part is great. Nobody is looking over your shoulder and telling you what to do, you do the job the way you want to.

* Independent decision making. This factor is twice as important to me as any other. I truly appreciate planning my day out and as long as your company doesn't insist that you try to break the law, then your whole day is revolved around trying to maximize your number of hours versus what is legal.

* Well it might sound self-serving, but truck drivers are the modern day cowboys. They are the only people that can have a job with no fences. Our offices aren't very wide, but they are long. I like the independence. You really don't answer to anybody.

* I am too fiercely independent. I can't work under the direct thumb of a supervisor looking over my shoulder. I take pride, I can do something and I get it done, I do it my way, it is the challenge of figuring out how to get the load there on time, doing it this way or that, getting it there. Face it, truck drivers, we pull off miracles every day getting so much work accomplished in the time that we have to do it.

* The independence that I have had over the years doing what I want to do. I don't have anyone looking over my shoulder telling me what to do. I don't have to punch a time clock when I go to work or when I leave work.

SEEING THE COUNTRY--The second greatest pleasure of being a long-distance truck driver is seeing the country. This benefit was noted by exactly half of the truck drivers we interviewed. Below are four statements from the drivers:

* You get to see the country from one end to the other. I just love that. And it doesn't cost you anything. You get paid to travel.

* I have wanderlust. Every day I get to meet different people and see the various cultures of North America. Every location has its unique beauty and therefore you are never seeing the same thing twice.

* My office window has an ever changing scenery, and if I don't like the view, it will often change by tomorrow.

* Seeing the country is the best part of my job. I have seen things in this country that other people just dream about. The best part is I didn't have to pay a travel agency for arranging my travel.

GOOD INCOME--The third most beneficial aspect of being a long-distance truck driver is the good income the job provides. This positive situation was noted by about 21 percent of the drivers interviewed. Here are three of their comments:

* You can make a good living driving. I've got a four year degree in accounting, but I didn't like the office politics. Now I'm out of the office, making good money, and I'm much happier.

* I make a fair amount of money, considering my level of education. It is a lot better than most people with my level of education

* I make a decent income. It used to be better, but I still can't imagine what I would rather do that would pay me as much as I'm making now.

PLEASURE OF DRIVING--About 16 percent of long-distance drivers stated that one of the best aspects of their jobs was the joy of driving. Here are three of their observations:

* There is a great deal of pleasure in driving the thrill of the open road. You may think I'm weird, but I think my job is a daily adventure.

* The freedom of the road makes my job very pleasant. I must say this is more true in the country than in large city traffic jams. Luckily I travel long distances, so most of my time is not in traffic jams.

* I just love driving. Some people love flying an airplane, I love the challenge of driving a big rig safely. Every minute is different - driving is a great way to make a living.

MEETING NEW PEOPLE--The fifth best aspect of being a long-distance truck driver is the pleasure of meeting new people. This attribute was stated by about seven percent of the drivers. Below are two of their observations:

* I like the camaraderie among truck drivers. We are a strange group in some ways. In general we are loners; we work day after day by ourselves. But when we pull into a truck stop for the night, most of us really enjoy talking to other truckers about what has been happening to us lately. The fellowship is good--we understand each other, because we all have the same daily experiences.

* I have many friends that I have made over the years. Yeah, you know there isn't a state that I go to that I don't know someone. I have made a lot of friends over the years as a driver.

ON-TIME PLEASURE--About seven percent of drivers noted that they take satisfaction in achieving their objective of delivering their freight to the customer in a timely manner. Here are two of their comments:

* Every day we have to set objectives for ourselves in terms of getting to the consignee on time. It's a good feeling setting goals and achieving them. Truck drivers are movers and shakers. We work by ourselves and if the freight is delivered on time, we get credit for it. If is late, we are at fault. I like taking responsibility for on-time delivery.

* Truck drivers move America. When we stop driving, the country stops and this is a definite fact. People will tell you we have trains, planes and small trucks, but the real job of moving America's freight is done by me and other drivers. It is a great responsibility to deliver freight on-time, but it is what I do best.

MISCELLANEOUS--About six percent of the drivers mentioned benefits of driving that were only noted once or twice. Below are two examples of these observations:

* The best part of my job is when I get up in the morning I am at work and when the day is over at night I am already at home. Why? Because I sleep in the truck. I don't have any commuting time to or from work.

* I pull a flatbed truck and we work much harder than most hard-sided 53 foot semitrailer drivers. I like the physical aspect of my job. It's really hard work loading, strapping and tarping the freight. I like really the hard physical demands the job demands of me.

Table 1 presents a summary of the greatest joys of long-distance truck drivers. To better understand the reasons why drivers liked certain aspects of their jobs, we decided to compare the percentages of drivers who chose a particular answer ("I like the independence of over- the-road driving") across two very important subcategories of drivers: owner operators versus company employed drivers and married versus single drivers. Differences in things most liked about being a truck driver between owner-operators and company drivers were generally modest. Employees were slightly more likely to mention the independence associated with long-distance truck driving, the amount of income earned and the satisfaction of delivering a load on time, while owner-operators were somewhat more likely to mention the opportunity to see the country, meet people and the pure pleasure derived from driving. However, none of these differences was sizable; owner-operators versus company employees are more notable for their similarities than differences in terms of what is most liked about being a truck driver.

Table 1 also compares the percents of respondents who most like a variety of features of truck driving between married and single drivers. Compared to single drivers, married ones were at least somewhat more likely to mention (a.) the ability to get out and see the country, and (b.) the opportunity to meet people as things they most like about their jobs. Also, and very curiously, all of the "miscellaneous" things mentioned as most liked came from married drivers. There are apparently a number of highly unique features of the job that appeal to only a few married drivers, and only to married drivers. Conversely, single drivers were more likely to mention (a.) the pleasure of delivering a load on time (11.9% versus 3.2%), (b.) earning a good income (26.2% versus 17.7%) and, by much smaller margins, (c.) the pleasure derived from truck driving, and (d.) the independence that comes with over the road driving.

THE FRUSTRATIONS OF BEING A LONGDISTANCE TRUCK DRIVER

Each driver was also asked this question: "What are the two things you most dislike about being a truck driver?" We were able to categorize these responses into 11 general themes or categories. Each of these topics will be examined below in the descending order of frequency that they appeared.

TIME AWAY FROM HOME--The most frequently mentioned disagreeable aspect of being a long-distance truck driver was the time spent away from home. This irritation was mentioned by almost exactly 1/3 of the drivers. Below are four representative comments regarding this issue.

* I would say the time away from home is terrible. You do get very, very homesick. The toughest guys out there get homesick, I don't care who you are.

* The hours we work are really long, day after day, so I lacked family life. I'm twice divorced, and a big reason for our breakups was I was hardly ever home. Last year I got home fewer than 30 days for the whole year, so you know why I'm single now.

* You are not home enough as your family grows up. It's a really lonely life. I have five sons, and it's hard not to be home more. Although they aren't that young anymore, I still miss them.

* The time away from home. It's tough for me or my wife to make plans, because she is never sure when I will be home. You just don't have anywhere near a normal family life.

HARD TO MAKE A LIVING--The second most noted frustration of being a long-distance truck driver is the high price of fuel and other expenses. This problem was stated by about 31 percent of the respondents. As we will see later, this situation was far more likely to be noted by owner/operators than by company drivers. Here are four of their comments.

* The cost of everything is going up. Like toll roads, fuel, and the trucks themselves. Everything goes up, but the stuff we haul is discounted more and more every year. In the 1970's, this was a good paying job--not any more, it's just a job.

* I used to be out here because the pay was pretty good, but now it isn't even worth it, but it's all I know how to do, so here I am, but I'm not a happy camper.

* Cheap freight rates are killing the trucking industry. Everybody is cutting rates on everybody. You've got to scramble to make a buck at it.

* Fuel keeps going up, but our pay is not going up. It's driving a lot of small trucking companies out of business and a lot of owner/operators are just parking their trucks because they can't make any money. They are now driving as employees of trucking companies or they are leaving the trucking business.

"FOUR WHEELERS" SKILL--Long-distance truck drivers call any vehicle that does not have 18 wheels a "four wheeler." This includes cars and smaller trucks (McPhee 2006). Exactly 25 percent of the drivers noted the poor driving skills of "four wheelers" as one of the greatest frustration of their jobs. Below are four of their statements regarding this issue.

* Idiot drivers! Yesterday I was near Chicago and a guy pulls out in front of me as he is entering the Interstate, and I had to lock my brakes to avoid hitting him. He just looked at me, wondering why I had to do that, he was a younger guy and he was talking on his cell phone, and he was not paying any attention to my truck as he cut in front of me. I've got an 80,000 pound vehicle that could have just run over him and not thought twice about it. Idiot!

* It is the lack of respect that four wheel drivers give you. I try to leave room in front of me because I cannot stop as fast as four wheelers. Then some stupid idiot cuts into the space in front of me and I have to jam on my brakes when they slow down to not hit the car in front of them. They do not realize how close to death they just were.

* Clueless drivers. These idiots don't have a clue how soon their lives could be over. In most cases, they are not paying attention to their driving. The biggest culprit is talking on their cell phones.

* The total lack of training of four wheelers. They have no idea that we can't stop on a dime, so they cut right in front of us constantly. I don't think they do this to cause us a problem, they just do not understand that we can't stop as fast as they can. However, when 18 wheelers are involved in accidents, the police and the news reporters always assume that it was our fault.

EXCESSIVE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS--The fourth most common compliant of truckers is the excessive state and federal government regulations in the trucking industry. This problem was mentioned by about 18 percent of the drivers interviewed. Four typical statements are below.

* All the rules and regulations. Whoever dreams these up should be slapped on the side of their head with a baseball bat as far as I'm concerned. They ain't got a clue about what they are talking about.

* From state to state the regulations are different. I haul a lot of oversize freight and every state has their own rules. It's like we live in 48 little kingdoms and each makes their own rules and regulations. Often I must pull over in a new state to change my axel dimensions, and if I don't do it right away, the highway patrol is there to give me a ticket. The state of Ohio is the worst.

* The people that are making the laws on when you can drive and when you can't. They probably have never been in a truck. So that is real frustrating. A few years ago we had some freedoms that allowed common sense to prevail. If we were tired, we could pull over and take a two hour nap and then get back to work. Now we don't do this because the maximum time we can be on the road is 14 hours, with 11 hours of driving. Remember, we often have been slowed down many hours per day picking up and delivering freight, and when our 14 hours is up, we must stop driving. Hence no time for a nap, and that's why you have sleepy drivers on the road.

* The truck regulations. There are so many of them, it is hard to know what is legal and what's not. But if there is an accident, we are always assumed to be at fault. I think most of these laws are made by people who sit behind a desk everyday and have never been in a truck. They have no idea what our world is like.

INCONSIDERATE SHIPPERS/CONSIGNEES--The fifth most common compliant of the drivers, noted by about 17 percent of the respondents, was that shippers and consignees are disrespectful of truck drivers when it comes to timely loading and unloading of freight. They do not realize that drivers operate in a 14 hour time segments. When the 14 hours is over, the driver must take a 10 hour break. If the shipper or consignee delays the driver six hours, the driver only has 8 hours of driving time before they must stop driving. Here are three observations.

* Dock workers often have an attitude that my time is worthless. I'm told when to pick up a shipment, and I'm there on time. Then I often sit for three, four, up to seven hours waiting to be loaded. Warehouse workers just don't respect you. I've been driving for 35 years and this has always been true, they just have a bad attitude. Unless you have been a driver, it is hard to explain this to other people.

* In a typical week, I spend at least 20 hours waiting. If I was either loaded or unloaded when I arrived at the warehouse or plant, the time should be less than four hours per week. This is just unproductive time, and shippers and receivers just don't care. They do not realize that when I'm not moving, I'm not making any money.

* Dock workers have an attitude that they are better than you are, therefore you can just wait until it is convenient for them to load or unload you. This attitude issue is not always found, but it happens frequently, and it really is frustrating when it happens.

WORKING LONG HOURS--The next most common aggravation of being a long-distance truck driver is the long hours the job demands. This problem was stated by about 12 percent of the drivers. Here are three comments.

* The days are really long--do you work 14 hours per day typically? I could do it better when I was in my 20's and 30's, but now I'm in my 50's and it really is wearing me down. I'm so tired at the end of a typical 14 hour shift. It just drags you down and soon you don't feel like a person any more--you feel like an onboard computer on the truck.

* You get so tired from the long hours. You really have to fight trying to stay awake at times.

* The long hours are very tough on your body, especially your back. I would like to stop more frequently to stretch my legs and exercise my back into different positions to relieve the pain, but I typically just can't take the time. This is an unhealthy job.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION--The seventh most common complaint by the long-distance truck drivers was the traffic congestion that they have to tolerate. Approximately 11 percent of the drivers mentioned this complaint. Below are two of their statements.

* Traffic congestion is terrible in almost all cities. It is the worst on the east and west coasts. I know drivers who will not take loads to the east coast because of the traffic congestion. I would like to be more selective, but I need to keep busy, so I take loads wherever they are going. There are just too many cars and trucks in the cities compared to 20 years ago. Every year the situation becomes worse.

* In cities today, there are just not enough highways for the number of vehicles trying to use them. This is why I always try to schedule my driving in cities at night to avoid the congestion as much as possible. You would not believe this, but Chicago or LA at 2:00am is congested--I'm not kidding.

NO CAMARADERIE AMONG DRIVERS--About seven percent of drivers thought that the quality of long-distance drivers had deteriorated in recent years. They stated that there used to be a feeling of camaraderie among drivers, however, this relationship has deteriorated in recent years. Here are three typical observations.

* In recent years, because there has been a shortage of over-the-road drivers, the quality of drivers has decreased. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for drivers. They are often profane, crude, tough punks, and they seem to be proud of it. If you don't believe what I'm saying, just listen to the profanity and other crude language used on the CB [Citizen's Band] radio. I'm afraid at times even to talk to fellow drivers at a truck stop for fear of whatever I say may provoke them into a fight.

* Many drivers today are just low-lifes. Yesterday morning I left a truck stop and there were three trucks parked near me that had just left before I did. Two of the three drivers left two large bags of garbage in the parking lot, while there was a trash receptacle not 50 feet away. These people are just pigs.

* There was a time when I was proud to be a long-distance driver. The ATA [American Trucking Association] had an advertising campaign that talked about us drivers as "Knights of the Road." And we really were. If we saw a woman whose car had broken down, we would stop to help her. Very few drivers would do that today. Today when I meet someone for the first time and they ask me what I do for a living, I just say my work involves traveling a lot. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm an over-the-road truck driver.

UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE--About six percent of the drivers stated that the food at truck stops was not healthy, it was difficult to exercise at the truck stops, and the rest rooms and shower facilities were often not clean. Below are two of their statements.

* The family run truck stop is almost gone and that's too bad. Today almost all you can find are "truck plazas." These are managed by big corporations and their main concern is making money and not giving us any kind of a home environment. They sell poor quality food, and they are often dirty and dingy. You sure don't look forward to spending your night at one of these places. But more and more that is all that is available to us, because at least they do have parking space.

* Truck stops are unhealthy places. The food is not nutritious, the johns are dirty, and the whole atmosphere is depressing. We are constantly being told that drivers need to live a healthier style, and then you pull into a truck stop and what is offered, McDonalds, Arby's, Hardy's, etc. and this type of fast food will only help to enlarge your waistline. You eat enough of that junk and you are going to weigh 400 pounds. A man needs to eat healthy, especially us, since we often don't get much physical exercise.

NOT A RESPECTED OCCUPATION--Another frustration of long-distance truck drivers is their perception that the general public does not respect their occupation. This negative aspect of being a long-distance driver was noted by about six percent of the drivers interviewed. Here are two of their statements.

* There is a lack of respect for the industry as a whole. Sometimes it seems that the DOT [Department of Transportation], cops, passenger car drivers, everybody hates truck drivers on the highway. We're just trying to do our job. Trying to drive as courteously and professionally as we can. However, part of the image problem is caused by the low quality of many of the newer 18 wheel drivers. Their driving skills are terrible, and that hurts the image of all the rest of us.

* The public's perception that truck drivers are deadbeats, child molesters, wife-beaters, whatever the worst they can think of is what they think of us. It's been a long time since truck drivers were the "knights of the road." And part of the public's image of us is our fault. Too many newer drivers are "cowboys," they like to speed excessively, hog the left lane during rush hours, etc. and generally make an a.. of themselves.

DISRESPECTFUL DISPATCHERS--The last problem area noted with some frequency was dispatchers who are not concerned with helping drivers perform their work efficiently. The situation was noted by about five percent of the respondents. Here are two of their observations.

* My company periodically switches dispatchers on me with no notice. A good dispatcher knows each driver and works with them to be efficient. Now I have a new dispatcher from a different state. So now I'm getting orders from outer space from someone I don't know, often telling me to do things that I often can't or shouldn't be doing. If the orders cannot be followed legally, what am I supposed to do? I'm referring to having to drive an excessive mileage to meet a scheduled pick-up or delivery that I can't possible do legally because of the HOS [Hours-of-Service] regulations.

* Customers and dispatchers do not listen to each other. Two recent examples. First, I was told by my dispatcher that a "hot" shipment had to be picked on Sunday. So I deadheaded [drove empty] all day Saturday to be ready for the 8:00 a.m. Sunday pick-up. What did I find out--the factory does not work on Sunday. In another case I was told I had to pick-up a shipment promptly at 8:00 a.m. I was there but the shipper was not ready. The traffic manager told me that yesterday he called my dispatcher and said the shipment was delayed, and could not be picked-up until after 4:00 p.m. I called my dispatcher and he said he forgot to call me. So I spend the entire day doing nothing and finally was loaded by 5:00 p.m. that day.

MISCELLANEOUS--About 11 percent of the long-distance truck drivers mentioned frustrations that were only noted once or twice. Here are three of these statements:

* There are many locations where there is no place to park your truck at night. This is especially true on the east coast. You had better pull into a truck stop by 3:00pm or you will not find a spot for the evening.

* When the weather is good, I love my job. When the weather gets nasty, I wish I was a plumber, so I could work inside. Fog is the worst, because it happens frequently, followed by icy highways. I get nightmares from thinking about the hurricane I had to drive through. Luckily this has only happened to me once.

* The Interstates in this country are in terrible condition. I was told they had a 40 year design life before major restoration would be required. I don't know about this, but I do know the Interstates are in unbelievably bad condition. It seems that the potholes, cracks and unevenness get worse every year. Smoother roads would make my job more pleasant. But this probably will not happen in my lifetime, so I just live with it.

Table 2 presents a summary of the greatest frustrations of long-distance truck drivers. Following the format that was previously used for the joys of long-distance truck drivers, let us now look at the frustrations based on these two sub-categories: owner/operators versus company drivers and married versus single drivers. There are literally huge differences in the percents of company employees versus owner operators who mentioned one or another feature. Most notably, owner-operators were nearly four times more likely to mention fuel prices (46.4% did so) compared to company drivers, only 12.5 percent of whom mentioned how hard it has become to make a living in this industry. This, of course, is to be expected; fuel prices at the time were extraordinarily high--and rising; costs that are directly borne by the owner-operator but paid for by the employed driver's company of record. Nearly ten percent more owner-operators than company employees also noted the disadvantages of a) being away from home (37.5% to 29.2%), and b) delays and other irritations at docks (21.4% to 12.5%).

Company employees tended to stress a different set of dislikes. These drivers were four times more likely than owner-operators to express displeasure at the long hours involved in over-the-road driving (20.8% of company employees versus only 5.4% of owner operators). Similarly, company employees were twice as likely to mention (a.) traffic problems (16.7% versus 7.1%) or (b.) poor quality of long-distance truck drivers (10.4% versus 5.4%), and at least half again as likely to mention (c.) the lack of driving skills among "4 wheelers;" that is, the rest of us sharing the highway system with truckers (31.3% versus 19.6%) or (d.) government regulations (22.9% versus 14.3%).

Clearly, owner-operators have a very different set of concerns with respect to the downside of over-the-road driving, much of that difference a reflection of their position as small business owners rather than just hired drivers in the trucking industry. As we have seen, owner-operators are more sensitive to, for example, dock delays (time is money) or escalating fuel prices (literally, money is money), but correspondingly less sensitive to the long hours involved in driving trucks for a living or with the paperwork and other negatives associated with government regulations (probably, the owner-operator better understands both the value of and need for government regulations as well as the necessity to work hard to make a living in this industry).

Finally, Table 2 compares the respondent percentages who least like a variety of features of truck driving between married and single drivers. Not too surprisingly, married drivers abhor being away from home at twice the rate among single drivers (41.9%, versus 21.4% of single drivers). They were also, however, far more likely to mention dock workers and delays (22.6% versus 9.5%) and bad food (8.1% to 2.4%), the latter at least partly a function of, we suspect, better meals at home and a heightened sense of how unattractive eating on the road can be. By contrast, single drivers were relatively more likely to dislike (a.) poor driving skills among fellow drivers (14.3%, versus 3.2% of married drivers), (b.) traffic on the roads (19.0% versus 6.5%), (c.) government regulations (23.8% versus 14.5%), (d.) relations with dispatchers (7.1% versus 3.2%) and (e.) lack of skilled drivers sharing the road with truckers (28.6 versus 22.6%). Overall, single drivers tended to mention a wider array of things disliked about the job than did married drivers.

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS

As noted in the introduction to this study, the trucking industry in the next ten years will need to replace tens of thousands of "baby-boomer" drivers as they approach retirement. There are two potential solutions to this situation: first, trying to encourage older drivers to delay retirement and secondly, to recruit new drivers to replace those who are retiring. Another corollary issue that will also help to mitigate the seriousness of the forecasted driver shortage is to reduce the turnover of younger and middle-aged drivers so they stay employed in this industry. We believe that this study will be potentially helpful in solving the future driver shortage.

To retain and recruit new long-distance drivers, the trucking industry must promote the advantages of this occupation. As this study has noted, there are a number of attractive aspects of this job. First and foremost, the independence of the driver work environment must be stressed. Almost three out of every four of the drivers in our survey mentioned this as the most important benefit of their job. Many drivers emphatically stated that they would not work where their boss was constantly monitoring their output. Their typical comment was that they do not want anyone looking over their shoulder and telling them what to do and when to do it. Other drivers said they had worked in an office or factory and they found the work boring and/or stifling. They said they would never again punch a time clock in or out--it made them feel like robots and this was intolerable. One driver rather dramatically likened himself and other drivers to being modern day cowboys. They live symbolically in the "great outdoors" doing their jobs independently of direct supervision. (We note parenthetically that many drivers must like this image, because as we observed when we conducted our interviews, many drivers wore cowboy boots and hats.) This job independence should be stressed when recruiting long-distance driving drivers because this aspect of the job would be appealing to many potential workers, especially new drivers being recruited from other lines of work.

Another advantage of this occupation, mentioned by exactly half of the drivers, was the pleasure in seeing the various parts of the United States and Canada. As one driver told us, "I have 'wanderlust,'" and therefore his job is gratifying because he sees new views every hour and over time travels the entire country. Besides these two beneficial aspects of long-distance driving, four other positive aspects of driving were noted with some frequency: good income potential, the pleasure of driving, the constant meeting of new people, and the satisfaction of delivering your freight on time.

While there are a number of benefits of being a long-distance truck driver, our study also dealt with the problems encountered in this occupation. The most commonly noted negative of this job, when all drivers are grouped together, was the time away from home. While better dispatching and scheduling can ameliorate this problem, it cannot be eliminated. It is just inherent to the position. For owner-operators, the ability to make a reasonable income was the most noted negative aspect of their job. This problem was directly related to the then current price of diesel fuel, which at the time of our interviews was about $3.50 per gallon. When fuel is in the range of about $2.00 per gallon, the drivers told us this problem would be much less severe. For company drivers, the most serious problem for them was the lack of driving skills by the "4 wheelers" they encounter every day in their work.

Here are the other problem areas that were noted with some frequency: government rules and regulations, inconsiderate dock workers, long working hours, traffic congestion, poor quality of neophyte truck drivers, unhealthy work environment, not a respected occupation and disrespectful dispatchers.

While most of these problems cannot be eliminated, we believe that this list is important. This is because it can be used to inform and educate future drivers about the drawbacks of this occupation. This list will be beneficial in two situations. First, when prospective long-distance drivers are being recruited by either technical colleges for their 18 wheel truck driving certificate program or other professional driver training schools. These programs are often aimed at future owner-operators, or for drivers who would prefer to be company drivers. The second situation where this list will prove helpful will be for trucking company recruiters who need to hire more long-distance drivers. In both of the above situations, the prospective drivers should be shown the list of negative aspects of this career. Then each problem can be honestly examined and potential techniques for reducing the severity of the problem can be discussed. Some problems cannot be fixed by any one individual or company, including fuel prices, government rules and regulations and the driving skills of "4 wheelers." Others, however, can have their seriousness reduced. For example, some drivers told us that whenever possible, they drive from 9:00pm to 6:00am, which minimizes two problems, traffic congestion and the driving skills of the "4 wheelers," because fewer of them are on the highway during these hours. A healthier lifestyle can be achieved by planning ahead so that stops can be made at truck stops known for serving more nutritious and lower calorie meals. Some truck plazas now have fitness centers where drivers can get a free or low cost workout involving strenuous physical exercise, which is a good alternative after sitting for many previous hours.

In closing, recruiting new long-distance drivers will be an important transportation issue in the next decade. This research clearly indicates that there are substantial joys associated with this occupation, and these benefits should be stressed to potential workers. This study also indicated that there are serious frustrations for long-distance truck drivers. While these problems often cannot be substantially minimized, it is beneficial to know these problems so potential workers will be realistically educated about the job environment. When future drivers are informed with candor and realism about the negative aspects of the job--either as an owner-operator or as a company driver--this should result in a reduction of driver turnover. Why? Because now each new driver entering the long-distance truck driver occupation would know it has both joys and frustrations.

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James C. Johnson

St. Cloud State University

Dennis N. Bristow

St. Cloud State University

Diane J. McClure

St. Cloud State University

Kenneth C. Schneider

St. Cloud State University

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

James C. Johnson received a B.S. in transportation economics in 1966 and an M.A. in economics in 1967 from the University of Arizona. His Ph.D. (Transportation, Logistics and Marketing) was received from the University of Minnesota in 1970. His articles have appeared in Journal of Marketing, Journal of Transportation Management, Transportation Journal, Transportation, Land Economics, Quarterly Review of Economics of Business, Business Horizons, and other journals.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Dennis Bristow received his B.S. degree in psychology in 1989, and M.A. in industrial/organizational psychology in 1991. He received his Ph.D. in business administration and marketing from Oklahoma State University in 1995. His work has been published in Journal of Business to Business Marketing, Journal of Marketing Channels, Journal of Selling and Major Account Management, Marketing Education Review, and other journals.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Diane J. McClure is a senior research associate. She has expertise in computer software technology and survey design. She has participated in tens of research projects as an in-house technical consultant. Her articles have appeared in Transportation Journal, Air Force Journal of Logistics, Journal of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy, Journal of Transportation Management, Transportation, and other journals.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Kenneth C. Schneider received a B.A. in economics (1970) and an M.A. in quantitative analysis (1972). His Ph.D. in Quantitative Analysis and Marketing was received from the University of Minnesota in 1974. His articles have appeared in Journal of Marketing, Journal of Transportation Management, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Retailing, Transportation, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Transportation Journal, Journal of Business Research, and elsewhere.

TABLE 1
THINGS MOST LIKED ABOUT BEING A TRUCK DRIVER (%)

 Operator Status Marital Status

 Company Owner
Category Total Employee Operator Married Single

Independence * 71.2 75.0 67.9 69.4 73.8
Seeing the Country 50.0 47.9 51.8 54.8 42.9
Good Income 21.2 22.9 19.6 17.7 26.2
Pleasure of Driving 16.3 14.6 17.9 14.5 19.0
Meeting New People 6.7 4.2 8.9 8.1 4.8
On-time Pleasure 6.7 8.3 5.4 3.2 11.9
Miscellaneous 5.8 4.2 7.1 9.7 0.0

* To be read: 71.2 percent of all 104 interviewees, 75.0 percent
of all "company employees," 67.9 percent of all "owner
operators," 69.4 percent of those who are married, and 73.8
percent of those who are single mentioned "independence" as one
of the two things most liked about being a truck driver.

TABLE 2
THINGS MOST DISLIKED ABOUT BEING A TRUCK DRIVER (%)

 Operator Status

 Company Owner
Category Total Employee Operator

Time Away From Home * 33.7 29.2 37.5
Hard to Make a Living 30.8 12.5 46.4
"Four Wheelers" Skill 25.0 31.3 19.6
Excessive Government Regulations 18.3 22.9 14.3
Inconsiderate Shippers/Consignees 17.3 12.5 21.4
Working Long Hours 12.5 20.8 5.4
Traffic Congestion 11.5 16.7 7.1
No Camaraderie Among Drivers 7.6 10.4 5.4
Unhealthy Lifestyle 5.8 6.3 5.4
Not a Respected Occupation 5.8 4.2 7.1
Disrespectful Dispatchers 4.8 6.3 3.6
Miscellaneous 10.6 20.8 3.6

 Marital Status

Category Married Single

Time Away From Home * 41.9 21.4
Hard to Make a Living 32.3 28.6
"Four Wheelers" Skill 22.6 28.6
Excessive Government Regulations 14.5 23.8
Inconsiderate Shippers/Consignees 22.6 9.5
Working Long Hours 11.3 14.3
Traffic Congestion 6.5 19.0
No Camaraderie Among Drivers 3.2 14.3
Unhealthy Lifestyle 8.1 2.4
Not a Respected Occupation 6.5 4.8
Disrespectful Dispatchers 3.2 7.1
Miscellaneous 14.5 7.1

* To be read: 33.7 percent of all 104 interviewees, 29.2 percent
of all "company employees," 37.5 percent of all "owner
operators," 41.9 percent of those who are married, and 21.4
percent of those who are single mentioned "time away from home"
as one of the two things most disliked about being a truck
driver.