ORLANDO, Fla. — Allowing truck drivers 18-20 years old to drive interstate cargo — a plan strongly supported by the Biden administration and the American Trucking Associations and seen as a way to address a driver shortage — would be a drag on carrier economics and safety, according to Knight-Swift President and CEO David Jackson.
“The idea of bringing 18-year-old drivers in, I think is a horrific idea for a multitude of reasons,” Jackson told attendees at the Truckload Carriers Association here on Monday.
“But if you happen to believe that to oversupply the industry would be a great thing to do, and the impact that would be on the stability of pricing and the stability of wages for drivers … if you think that’s all a good thing, then I would say we’re grossly underestimating the unintended consequences to oversupply, and what that does to rates, and what that kind of a driver would do for safety.”
Speaking on a panel with fellow truckload company top executives Mike Gerdin of Heartland Express, Derek Leathers of Werner Enterprises and moderator Rob Penner of Bison Transport, Jackson said that rate volatility is “a bit of an enemy” in the current trucking market cycle.
“So we have to have discipline in terms of how we add equipment into this space and how we continue to elevate the standards of who drives in this space. And hopefully, someday, between us and our customers, we get to where we stay in [capacity supply and demand] equilibrium a little bit longer. The LTL guys have figured this out.”
The good news, Jackson said, is that following the worst recent years for trucking — 2013, 2017 and 2019 — were some of the best years for trucking. “So we’re on the verge” of another upswing, he said.
But in the meantime, Gerdin recommended that carriers use the downturn to concentrate on other areas of their business.
“Let’s trade trailers, let’s trade tractors, let’s work on our fuel mileage, let’s work on 150 different aspects of our business while we’re not that busy,” Gerdin said.
“All these great ideas we have to make our company better, we have to actually do it sometime, and this is the perfect time to do that with whatever objectives you have in your company. None of us know how long the downturn will last, but we know it will come back.”
Asked what he thought was the most important regulatory issue the industry should prioritize, Leathers said there should be a “laser focus” on emissions regulations, particularly with restrictions on tailpipe pollution that start in 2027.
“But if you zoom out further and think about climate in general, it worries me a great deal that we’re faced with a political environment where instead of setting lofty goals which we would fully support, and pushing us to do what we already do in our day to day business — try to do more with less, find a way to deliver more freight and leave a smaller footprint — what we see now is a lot of prescriptions for specific applications,” Leathers said.
“I’m OK with standards and goals by a certain year, but when you start telling us how we have to do it, it’s troubling. If you mandate how we get there, and the infrastructure and cost and other obstacles are unbearable by the end consumer, I think we’re setting ourselves up for a major failure, and that’s the road we’re on now. We have to stay active as an association and as individual companies and push back on this.”
Looking ahead, Leathers said that even if the current economy has yet to bottom out, a trucking market recovery will depend more on supply than on demand.
“I’m not celebrating the fact that supply is exiting. But this business has always been determined by a few key principles, one of which is, the cure to low prices is low prices. When the spot market goes down this low this fast, it cures itself. I think there are better times to come and there’s never been a better time for some discipline.”
george dotterweich
absolute NO! too young. lack of skill and judgement will take 2nd place behind tesosterone fueled antics. highways are already dangerouse with the new breed of driver. no common sense. no respect. enough flipflops already!
Matt
Something wrong with the world today
And No one knows what it is
But Trucking is killing our parents and kids
Trucking is not what it used be
And certainly no game or a joke
It’s a privilege to earn CDL with great responsibilities
We’re in a different era, 18-21 still live mom/dad, play video games, can’t keep up home chores, and don’t know about trucking
Today semi truck drivers drive like in a car and reckless,
I demand to stop handing out CDL like it’s candy
Close Down these small school truck driving companies
And yes, some drivers to old and over weight to be driving semi trucks
Take control of problems first then the solution
Not solution and control it later
Grow a brain Administration
Victor
I, too, worry about the safety aspect of allowing younger drivers to run interstate loads. However, we must also realize that they can already run intrastate loads and, in a state like Texas or Montana, that can be a 2 day run from one side to the other and another 2 days back. That is well more than what you’d run from Maine to DC and you’d cross several state lines doing that. The pilot programs specifically prohibit them from running Hazmat loads which is wise. I think that the insurance companies will have the final say in this when the premiums for a company hiring 18-20 year olds comes due. And, yes, I’ve had the discussion about military personnel being this young and driving but you don’t see a convoy of 18 year old running around without having a more senior NCO in charge at the very least.
Jose Baez
This will be incredibly dangerous and will also force lots of drivers out of the industry. Young less experienced people will work longer hours and accept much lower pay. Also rigs are incredibly dangerous and it must be mature and responsible people behind the wheel. They will put peoples lives in danger on the roads.
Melissa
There are not enough loads for the drivers now. And 18 to 20 year olds have no business driving a commercial vehicle. Most are not even disconnected from moms apron strings. Biden is an idiot.
Mehmed baluc
Is these eaven possible…..you guys are forcing as out off industry…
Raulito Rata
18 to 21 years old will be allowed to inter state! Do they know responsibility! Goodluck you just made the road more dangerous..
Raulito Rata
18 to 21 years doing interstate! Do you think they know responsibility! Goodluck ! You just made the road more dangerous! Pls re think about it!