I will respect the ABF Board, since I don't work there..but typical song and dance from unions that they are the ones preserving driver wages. I guess market forces and economics don't dictate.
I was only trying to get some perspective, as I'm probably getting hired to run cost analyses for linehaul, and since I've been on both ends of the spectrum. And for for your information ABFer i pointed that out so it didn't seem like I wanted to bash unions, but get an educated perspective...but keep holding that wheel bud!
How about the current demographics in trucking as a driving force in economics? Compared to other industries, there is about a ten year age gap because trucking relied on drivers jumping from job to job, instead of trying to attract younger people.
LTL trucking , whether it be Union or non-Union, is very top-heavy with older drivers. This company here admitted during contract talks, that about 75% of its drivers were within 5 years of retirement. I believe that figure is worse now, as a cut-rate contract does nothing to attract new hires.
Trailer load big box trucking doesn't have the age problem, but they all have endemically high turnover rates..........some as high as 100% in a year,.........so to use TL employers as entry-level ........"trainers" ........for LTL, is very problematic, as the people they are...."training" ......and losing due to turnover, have very rudimentary driving skills.......,..and absolutely no LTL skills........
As we all know, LTL is not truck driving.........it is freight handling,....and driving is merely one of the skills required to do the job properly. What would your boss rather have? A driver who's a poor freight handler,...........or a good freight handler who's a barely adequate driver?
LTL freight can't be taught.........It can be .......learned,....but not taught in a classroom. How about the aging demographics in LTL trucking as a driving force in economics,....as opposed to customer requirements? Is LTL close to the "tipping point" where customer-driven solutions will take a back seat to driver availability?