ATA: driver turnover drops, but remains high

The Trucker News Services

6/22/2005

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Driver turnover fell from its record high for large truckload carriers during the first quarter of the year, according to the American Trucking Associations, as pay increases improved driver retention.

Annualized driver turnover at large truckload carriers decreased to 120 percent for the three month period ended March 31 from 136 percent in the fourth quarter of 2004. Also, driver turnover at small truckload carriers — those earning less than $30 million in annual revenue — remained at a record high of 102 percent.

ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said driver turnover remained higher than the historical average for fleets of all sizes.

“Over the last two years, the driver market has tightened significantly. Fleets are looking internally at what they can do to retain drivers,” Costello said. “Many large carriers noted that pay hikes in the first quarter helped with retention but not necessarily with recruitment.”

Overall, according to ATA, small TL fleets ended the quarter with 0.3 percent fewer drivers than they started with. Large fleets ended the quarter with 2.7 percent more line-haul drivers.

Various truckload carriers have said they would continue pushing up pay rates to curb what has become a continuous struggle to find and keep qualified drivers, in order to fight high turnover levels.

Some large publicly traded truckload carriers said at a recent investors’ forum that they expected to continue increasing driver pay this year in efforts to boost driver retention, according to ATA. Analysts said several large truckload carriers increased driver pay between 8 percent and 10 percent in 2004.

--The Trucker Staff