Truck driver turnover has been at historic lows for the past few years due mostly to the poor economy and tightened capacity in the freight business. And although, after a year of quarterly increases, the driver turnover rate at large truckload fleets unexpectedly dipped one percentage point in the fourth quarter of 2011, fleets can continue to expect turnover to rise.
The poor economy has held the usually abysmal truck driver turnover rates at large truckload fleets at substantially lower-than-usual levels since 2007, when churn averaged 117%. Turnover among large truckload fleets bottomed out at 39% in the first quarter of 2010 and has been on the uptick ever since, rising steadily to 89% in the third quarter of 2011.
“This reprieve, while surprising, is likely temporary,” Costello said. “As the economy continues to recover, freight volumes should continue to grow, which along with regulatory challenges related to hours-of-service and the government’s CSA fleet oversight program, will continue to cause the driver market to tighten and the turnover rate to rise.”
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