Why trucker shortage in America impacts our business

Dark clouds loom over the North American trucker market – so dark that the US media has warned of an impending “perfect storm”. “That is true,” said Marcus Schawaller of Hapag-Lloyd’s Global Procurement, adding that “there is an acute shortage of truck drivers in the U.S., and the situation will get worse.” The industry is suffering the effects of an aging population and is struggling to find new recruits for the job, which has a reputation of being less than glamorous. On top of that, a newly introduced logbook is reducing driving times. At the same time, demand for truck capacities is rising rapidly.

Customers have to become more flexible
For Lisa Radke, Senior Director Global Procurement at Hapag-Lloyd, the acquisition of truck capacities is of the highest priority in light of these developments and is regarded as a pioneering project in global procurement. “Together with trucking companies, we are currently trying to optimise processes and do away with inefficiency,” declares Radke. At Hapag-Lloyd, we make it clear to the trucking companies that we take their problems seriously, which is why we want to expand our partnership.

Getting Hapag-Lloyd customers on board is just as important. “Nowadays, truck drivers are able to pick and choose. They not only look for the cargo that will bring them the highest pay but also take a more efficient approach when it comes to scheduling, which leaves little room for delays and negotiation,” says Radke’s colleague Martin Bätcke, summing up the situation. Many truckers no longer accept waiting periods of more than one hour, which means that customers have to work with broader and more flexible time slots.