Unveiling the Reality Behind the Falsehood of Commercial Truck Driver Scarcity and the Deception It Encourages
The trucking industry, a critical lifeline for the economy, is grappling with issues of fraud and the health and longevity of its drivers. While these challenges may seem disparate, they are interconnected in ways that can significantly impact the industry's stability.
Every year, more than 400,000 commercial driver's licenses are issued in the United States (CCJ Digital). However, the average life expectancy of a U.S. truck driver stands at about 61 years (The Trucker), a concerning statistic that highlights the need for change. Poor health support, grueling schedules, poor sleep hygiene, and job design that shortens lives contribute to this low life expectancy.
The industry has been accused of recycling the narrative of a truck driver shortage for years. Desiree Wood, president of REAL Women in Trucking, stated this in 2021 (The Guardian, 2021). Instead of focusing on myths, the industry could address retention, training, job design, and fraud prevention to build real trust.
Fraud multiplies when survival is framed as a numbers game. Examples include fake carriers, brokers skipping vetting, drivers with forged CDLs or stolen identities, and companies too busy filling seats to ask hard questions. Instability in the industry can lead to fraud, with fraudsters thriving in a marketplace in turmoil and a workforce too destabilized to push back.
To combat fraud, better training is key. Strong training emphasizes time management, thorough pre-trip and post-trip inspections, situational awareness in city and mountain corridors, and honest expectations about life on the road. Groups like The Coalition for CDL Training are pushing for reform to raise the floor for skill in truck driver training.
The name of the group advocating for the expansion of training standards for truck drivers and led by John Larrauri is the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Project 61, another initiative, focuses on health, dignity, and longevity for truck drivers. It emphasizes nutrition access at truck stops, flexible parking, safe rest areas, paid waiting time, and support for preventive care as essential components of a workforce strategy.
Retention improves when the job is designed to respect time. This includes paid detention, guaranteed weekly minimums, predictable home time, clear, enforced safety policies, and transparent pay plans. Base pay for truck drivers remains flat in real terms, benefits lag, and annual turnover at large truckload fleets routinely exceeds 80 percent.
In 2025, the pool of visas for commercial drivers was just under 1,500 annually out of a workforce of about 3.5 million drivers (Axios, 2025). The visa pause sent a clear message: Until the industry proves it can train and retain the drivers it already has, importing more does nothing but extend churn.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics wrote in 2019 that the truck driver labor market functions like any other competitive market, with pay and conditions explaining why people leave (BLS, 2019). Unpaid time at docks, miles-based pay, long haul schedules, thin benefits, and lack of respect from management are factors that drive people away from the trucking industry.
In conclusion, addressing the challenges of fraud and improving the health and longevity of drivers requires a holistic approach. This includes better training, improved working conditions, and a focus on retention. By prioritizing these areas, the industry can build a more stable, trustworthy, and sustainable future.
