We have rushed training because of a shortage. We have a shortage because trucking companies don’t wanna pay their workers enough for the work involved. When you get paid peanuts to work with constant pressure to deliver, it’s no surprise that drivers on their way to getting experience leave when a better opportunity arises, which leaves an opening filled by someone with no experience again.
Have a unionized standard hourly rate like we used to when trucking was a job one could sustain a life and raiseafamily on, or the federal government should help jumpstart trucking co-ops. Or just re-nationalize CN and get a comprehensive freight network back to replace trucks.
The paper cited an aging workforce, demand for higher pay and difficulty attracting youth and women to the profession as the main reasons for the shortage.
I agree on all points you made. Especially the need for Canada to get its shit together and get rail back in play for long distance freight. No reason to use 53’ for everything.
I would even go as far as mandate if freight travels farther then a set distance rail is mandatory. Maybe 80km from a distribution hub?
Rail should be for long distance, with products coming to distribution hubs within towns/cities by rail. Then shipping for last mile delivery should be on smaller 10’-15’ truck or a 9’ cargo van for anything within city limits.
Even last-mile 53’ TL and LTL make for more appealing trucking jobs in terms of work-life balance. The way freight shipping has “optimized” itself on all modes (rail, road, air, marine) has screwed over labourers AND customers, in the name of reduced expenses and more profit.
We have rushed training because of a shortage. We have a shortage because trucking companies don’t wanna pay their workers enough for the work involved. When you get paid peanuts to work with constant pressure to deliver, it’s no surprise that drivers on their way to getting experience leave when a better opportunity arises, which leaves an opening filled by someone with no experience again.
Have a unionized standard hourly rate like we used to when trucking was a job one could sustain a life and raiseafamily on, or the federal government should help jumpstart trucking co-ops. Or just re-nationalize CN and get a comprehensive freight network back to replace trucks.
There you go.
I agree on all points you made. Especially the need for Canada to get its shit together and get rail back in play for long distance freight. No reason to use 53’ for everything.
I would even go as far as mandate if freight travels farther then a set distance rail is mandatory. Maybe 80km from a distribution hub?
Rail should be for long distance, with products coming to distribution hubs within towns/cities by rail. Then shipping for last mile delivery should be on smaller 10’-15’ truck or a 9’ cargo van for anything within city limits.
And take the opportunity to electrify the rail network while we’re at it.
Even last-mile 53’ TL and LTL make for more appealing trucking jobs in terms of work-life balance. The way freight shipping has “optimized” itself on all modes (rail, road, air, marine) has screwed over labourers AND customers, in the name of reduced expenses and more profit.
All those problems are not unique to the trucking industry.
Capitalist enshittification is the real problem.