With another year in the books, 2015 proved to be a monumental year for the trucking industry. For starters, the annual U.S. trucking revenue topped $700 billion for the first time. This can be attributed to increased demand and higher rates, offset by lower fuel prices. While the average pay for long-haul truckers increased compared to 2013, the industry is still plagued with a driver shortage of roughly 48,000 drivers.
Truckin' On
2015 also saw its fair share of regulations and mandates, with one of the most controversial being the final ruling from the FMCA on the ELD mandate. This will require truck drivers to replace their paper logs for electronic logs by December 2017.
One of the biggest struggles drivers faced in 2015 and continuing in to 2016 is parking. Truck drivers frequently can’t find parking when and where they need it. The issue is so bad that some drivers are having to push their Hours of Service past the limits because they have to drive for extended periods of time to find parking which is, in some cases, in unregulated zones. Due to a huge response to this issue, the Federal Highway Administration conducted research and released a survey that revealed this issue to be one of drivers’ top concerns, and it is now working toward correcting the problem this year. FTS Plus+ fuel partners are dedicated to making sure drivers are able to safely travel across the country, including expanding their stops to include additional parking, showers, and other amenities for drivers to take advantage of while on the road.
As mentioned above, the trucking industry is faced with a record breaking driver shortage. With so many driving positions available, fleets are also coping with driver retention problems. This shortage is driving salaries higher. According to the National Transportation Institute, the average pay for long-haul truck drivers jumped 17% since 2013 to a record average of $57,000. Currently, there are still plenty of drivers that want to be on the road, so looking forward, the trucking industry will need to focus on solutions to keeping its current drivers happy and for ways to gain the interest of these new potential drivers.
How FTS Plus+ is Helping
As you can see, the trucking industry has many challenges, but FTS Plus+ continues to provide relief for thousands of small and mid-sized fleets. Our point-of-sale fuel savings continue to help our members cut back their fuel expenses and save at more than 1,900 locations across the United States. In addition to all the savings we provided to our members, throughout 2015, we added new vendors to our savings family and enhanced some of our existing programs to better serve our members.
One thing that sets FTS Plus+ apart is our dedicated team who takes the time to learn about each fleet’s specific challenges and finding a solution for those needs. For example, we work with different vendors who offer ELD solutions. So whether you’re looking for something more cost effective or more robust, we will determine the best solution for your fleet.
To combat driver retention, several of our program offers can also be extended on to your drivers allowing you to offer your drivers savings at no additional cost to you, from legal services to wireless discounts and hotel savings and more.
FTS Plus+ strives to be your go to solution for all your fleet saving needs. At the end of the day, we want to help you operate more efficiently. If we don’t currently have a solution in place for one of your needs, we will work to find one.
Here are a few of our 2015 highlights:
We are looking to top these numbers in 2016 and provide more savings to our members than ever before. Will you be a part of that history and be on the receiving end? We sure hope so. We’d love the opportunity to talk to you and discuss what challenges your fleet is facing and see how we can help. Call a dedicated savings consultant today at (800) 749-1724 Opt. 2 or visit us online at ftsplus.com/savings.