There is no driver shortage. There's a shortage of willing idiots to sign up for today's mega-truck work for peanuts and never be home employment model. Drivers are hired and micro managed, and paid only by the mile. Sit for three days? Too bad, no check for you.....
How micromanaged? Drivers are given EXACT turn by turn directions, and deviating is a write up offense. They are given "fuel solutions", i.e. stop at this Loves, get 53 gallons, drive 240 miles to this next Loves, and buy 78 gallons. No consideration or pay for the drivers time to fuel, get off the highway, etc. But, it saves two pennies on fuel, so instead of taking on 230 gallons at once, they are made to fuel four, five times. Tail light out? No, you aren't allowed to change the tail light. Wait for the service truck to come out and change it. Which could be five hours...
Home time? Typically you get one day for every 10 to 14 days on the road. At the convenience of the trucking company. When it's convenient. Holidays? Shouldn't have become a truck driver. All that, living out of the truck with all expenses associated with that for maybe 40 or 50K a year.
Average driver turn over for the large fleet typically exceeds 100% per year. There's not shortage of drivers. There's a shortage of idiots willing to do the job.
