Shortage of truck drivers showing up in the oil field

News Herald photo by LESTER MURRAY Glenda Bartles, who has been driving big rigs for five years, is preparing for a trip to Arkansas to pick up a load of pipe and take it to Port Arthur. She has been worked for Lone Star Transportation in Kilgore since she started driving. "Working for a company is the only way I would drive. I wouldn't own my own equipment," said Bartles. Look at the classified ad section of this, or any, newspaper and you will find a list of ads seeking truck drivers long haul, regional routes, container trucks, flatbeds ... the list goes on.

A study by the American Trucking Association (ATA) reports that the trucking transportation industry is experiencing a national shortage of truck drivers.

The ATA predicts that the shortage of long-haul drivers will increase to 111,000 by 2014 if current demographic trends continue and the overall labor force continues to grow at a slower pace.

ATA president and chief executive Bill Graves reports 3.4 million truckers are driving U.S. roads. Of this number 1.3 million are long-haulers and are hurt most by the shortage.

Glenda Bartles and her dog, Dot, heading out on a trip to Arkansas. "Although the current shortage is estimated at 20,000, it seems larger because of the high degree of driver 'churning,' or moving from company to company."

Large truckload companies reported a 121 percent average turnover last year.

Reports indicate that the supply of new long-haul heavy truckers will grow at an annual rate of 1.6 percent in the next 10 years. One consulting company for the ATA predicts economic growth in the next 10 years will generate a need for a 2.2 percent average annual increase in long-haul heavy truck drivers or 320,000 jobs overall.

ADA reports another 219,000 drivers are needed to replace drivers 55 and older who plan to retire in the next 10 years. That places the total replacement and expansion needs at 539,000 or an average of 54,000 new drivers per year for the next decade.

Although these are general statistics, they do reflect the situation in Kilgore where most drivers work for oil and gas-related firms.

Steve Akin, regional manager for Lone Start Transportation, said the need for the type of drivers they use is not as great in Kilgore as it is in Oklahoma City, Corpus Christi or Dallas.

"In other places, other businesses can draw from a pool of trained drivers," he said.

However, he did say the company needs drivers locally. "We're short four drivers right now," he said.

"The oil and gas industry has increased so much in the last year that everyone is looking for truck drivers," Akin said. "There's too much competition."

Akin said that for the first time in his career he is seeking drivers from truck driving schools.

"Normally, we like our drivers to be experienced," he said. "But now we're looking everywhere."

Akin said the company is running ads in a number of publications, seeking drivers from other companies, spreading the need by word of mouth ...

"We're doing anything we can to determine the best way to attract individuals to us," Akin said.

Blair Smith, operations manager for Gulf Coast Chemical, is short two drivers.

"It seems now that we are always short qualified drivers," he said. "In the past we used to get eight to 10 applications a week and would have to scrutinize them closely because they were all pretty good. Now that's a thing of the past."

Blair is short two drivers, one in Kilgore and one at the Louisiana facility.

Blair and Akin said companies have improved their salaries and benefits in order to attract and keep good drivers.

"Some companies pay by the hour and some by salary," Akin said.

He said drivers average between $15 and $18 an hour or between $40,000 and $60,000 annually.

"Drivers can make quite a bit of money," Akin said. "They don't have to have a college education."

However, drivers must be prepared to be on call round-theclock, year-around for Lone Star.

As with all other companies, drivers must have a valid commercial drivers license, a clean driving record and be able to pass a drug test. They have to be at least 21 years of age also.

"Truckers have to understand that the job is a 24/7 and have to be willing to be called out at any time," Akin said. "But our truckers are home most nights and weekends, unlike over the road truckers."

Blair said the average annual salary for his firm runs between $42,00 and $50,000. "We also give them incentives and a benefits package that includes profit sharing, 401K, safety award and insurance," he said.

Blair said his drivers also "get to spend nights and weekends at home."

In addition to the basic qualifications, drivers for Gulf Coast and other companies hauling hazard materials, must go through a background check and have a 'Haz Mat" endorsement on their CDL.

"The pool of qualified drivers seems to be shrinking," Blair said. "As for the independent drivers, their numbers are growing smaller because of the cost of fuel."

Because of the need for drivers, a number of colleges and technical schools are offering truck driver certification. Business at commercial truck driving schools is booming.

Winsell Coleman, East Texas representative for Tri-State Driving School, said his school starts a new class every Monday. Classes average between 30 and 35 students and run between 17 ad 19 days.

The cost? -$3,000 without housing and $4,175 with housing.

Tri-State's school is located in Palmer, Tex., about 30 miles south of Dallas.

"We have a 48-acre professional track," Coleman said. "This is advantageous because we can teach backing and parking in a safe place."

He said when the students get ready for their road test, they use I-45 and drive in "real traffic -Dallas," Coleman said.

Coleman said some commercial truck driver schools are not accredited. However, Tri-State is recognized buy the U.S. Department of Education and is accredited for continuing education and training.

Coleman said his school has a 98.9 graduation rate and a 95 percent placement rate.

"We work through the Texas Workforce Commission," he said.

Coleman said a first-year graduate can earn between $28,000 and $40,000.

Again, qualifications for enrollment are 21 years of age, acceptable driving record, pass a physical and drug screen, and provide a five-year work history.

"We conduct criminal backgrounds on a case-by-case basis," he said.