PHOENIX - In a day and age of instant shipments from stores, consumers want their goods right away. But if there aren't drivers to deliver, shipping could slow and product costs could skyrocket.
Training consultant Roger Scholl says there's a shortage of about 300,000 drivers nationwide right now. And as the demand for drivers increases, the strain falls on the consumer.
"It means a delay in getting freight to the warehouses which causes a backup at the stores," Scholl said. "It's a very high stress job, meeting deadlines."
The trucker quality of life makes it tough to fill driving positions.
"You're gone one, two, sometimes three weeks at a time," Scholl said. "You live out of your truck."
Driver turnover has also been high in the 40 years that Scholl has been in the industry. Drivers are retiring, and he says pay needs to increase. Scholl says the average driver right now makes about $45,000 a year.
"The average driver should be making $80,000 a year right now," Scholl said. "We're not there yet."
The industry is trying to tack on signing bonuses to attract millennials and younger drivers.
It's a shortage Scholl sees as a norm on the road in a healthy economy, but if the large gap isn't narrowed soon, it could take longer for you to get your goods and at a higher price too.
Scholl says another challenge is there are stricter regulations and drivers are on their own with a lot of responsibility.
Companies are even trying to make trucks more comfortable with newer equipment to attract good drivers.