How E-Commerce Is Changing the Face of Commercial Truck Driving

By Admin
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19 Sep, 2018
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American e-commerce retail sales in the second quarter of 2018 alone topped $127 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Even though these numbers imply that technology is the future, without drivers on the road, e-commerce wouldn't happen. If you're considering a career in the commercial truck driving field, take a look at why increases in internet ordering may mean that you'll score a better-paying job.

Truck Driver Shortage

The nation has a truck driver shortage, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). With almost 71 percent of freight tonnage requiring trucks to move it, the ATA predicts that the need for qualified drivers will only increase.

Internet Purchase Popularity

Internet-based retail sales are on the rise, according to the Census Bureau's statistics. The more goods there are to move, the more drivers are needed to transport them. As e-commerce increases, the need for qualified drivers will only add to the trucking shortage.

This need includes drivers who transport items to retail outlets for customers to pick up after ordering online, drivers to transport goods from manufacturers to online outlets, and drivers to deliver packages directly to customers.

Brick and Mortar Stores Online

Major online retailers and e-commerce sites, such as Amazon and eBay, aren't the only internet giants. After the serious success of the order-online-and-deliver-right-to-your-door model, brick and mortar stores decided to join the game.

With sales dropping, big-box retailers and other similar stores started adding sizable online components to their sales options. These online stores only add to the number of commercial drivers needed in the U.S. Not only are the stores hiring drivers to transport their goods to the stores, but they also need people to deliver items that are shipped (after online sales).

Self-Driving Fears

Recent news reports about the rise of the self-driving car have put some would-be truckers on edge. Even though the technology to create self-driving autos is here, the likelihood of humanless trucks replacing actual drivers isn't likely to happen any time soon.

Some (especially younger) potential drivers may look towards another field, thinking that self-driving vehicles will quickly make their job nonexistent. But this couldn't be farther from the truth. The driver-shortage statistic from the ATA show that the need for human drivers is on the rise. This means that plenty of jobs are available for real people, and not for technology-driven vehicles.

Pay Increase

While different commercial driving jobs and jobs in different regions of the country don't always pay the same, an internet-caused driver shortage may mean a higher wage. The current median pay for a delivery truck driver is $29,250 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS statistics also show that the median wage for a heavy or tractor-trailer truck driver is $42,480 annually.

E-commerce-related driving jobs include both of these types of commercial trucking. Drivers are needed for local deliveries (to deliver packages in residential areas) as well as for moving large quantities of manufactured goods from one city or state to another. The latter includes heavy and tractor-trailer jobs.

During an employment shortage, in any industry, the pay that employers offer typically increases. This type of increase may take effect in the trucking industry, provided the continued growth in e-commerce. As a driver, you'll become an in-demand professional who can help internet-based business continue to grow in size and financially.

Along with pay increases, companies who need to hire more truckers during a driver shortage may offer bonuses in the form of extra income.

Are you ready to start on the road to success as a commercial truck driver? Contact Commercial Trucking School for more information.