Executives Say Lack of Drivers Stems From Low Pay Levels

Fleets Say They Are Unable to Add Capacity

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EW YORK — Motor carriers here said an inability to hire and retain qualified drivers continued to prevent them from adding capacity and the problem would not be resolved until the industry increased driver pay.

Executives of less-than-truckload carriers Con-Way Transportation and New England Motor Freight, along with truckload carriers J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Celadon Group, Swift Transportation, U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Covenant Transport and Marten Transport all said fleets were not adding capacity in large part because they could not find qualified drivers, a problem stemming from low wages.

“No one is adding capacity and no one has any plans to add capacity,” J.B. Hunt Chief Executive Officer Kirk Thompson said. “Even if someone was so bold as to add capacity, they wouldn’t have a driver to put in the truck.

Drivers continue to be scarce.” J.B. Hunt ranked No. 12 on the 2003 Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian carriers.

The executives commented at a Bear, Stearns & Co. transportation forum here last week.

For the full story, see the May 17 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.