Research Plan: Truck Driver Shortage

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Problem Statement:
Even though there is an increasing demand for Truck Drivers, there is an increasing shortage of Truck Drivers in the United States. Even though the trucking companies know that it is necessary to increase driver pay and reduce the time on the road, there is a severe increase in Truck Driver Shortage.

Literature Review:
The literature review will cover scholarly articles, books, and other sources relevant to Truck Driver Shortage. The review will provide a summary and critical assessment of these studies about Truck Driver Shortage. The arguments in the literature review will support the research question.

According to studies truck, driver salaries have fallen by as much as 50% since 1975. Research shows that The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 led to the devaluation of the Truck Drivers' jobs. The acts led to the loss of prestige for Trucking. The law triggered destructive competition in the trucking industry. For example, Truck Drivers who started their careers forty years ago experience a decline in their real income. Some studies show that since the 1980s the decline Truck Drivers' earnings have declined by between 21% and 50%. Even though other blue-collared jobs have declined, they have blamed the problem on technology and outsourcing (1). However, trucking is one industry where outsourcing is not a problem and self-driving cars have not yet displaced drivers. Yet, the pay, esteem, and working conditions of Truck Drivers have declined during the past several years. The main blame for the current condition is placed on "The Motor Carrier Act of 1980". This act was passed to deregulate the trucking industry but what emerged was that rate bureaus could not interfere with truckers' rights to publish their rates, eliminated restrictions on commodities that can be carried, and authorized the truckers to price freely. This law has been severely criticized because the decline in trucking prices came from the reduced earnings of Truck Drivers. This law is considered to be the root of Truck Driver Shortage today.

The two key reasons for a long time away from home are on the road and full truckload shipping. Both these methods require extended periods on the road. In contrast if the less than full load hub and spoke system is used more, the distribution centers are increased, and the average length of haul is reduced, more drivers will be able to return home every day. Moreover, the long-time-away problem can be solved if truckers were more localized. However, today the time on the road remains very high and is an important reason for Truck Driver Shortage.

Research question: ...