Truckers cope with rising operating expenses, FleetOps says

As they wrestle with rising operating expenses, some truck drivers are declining to use their full allotment of hours of service (HOS) time, according to an analysis of telematic data by FleetOps, a provider of capacity aggregation and freight matching software.

Toronto-based FleetOps analyzed data from electronic logging devices (ELDs), the sensors that measure drivers’ time on the road and keep them in compliance with rest periods as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

The results showed that the monthly number of undriven hours has been increasing in 2022 compared to 2021. The number of unused hours by U.S. truckers was up 7% in March 2022 over the same month last year, up 5% in April, up 7% in May, and up 12% in June, FleetOps said.

In search of reasons for the change, the firm also surveyed 915 carriers, owner/operators, drivers, and dispatchers during July. Of those who said they were driving less, 71% said that rising fuel costs and stagnant wages were major factors. Other reasons included a decline in demand (31%) and long wait times while picking up and delivering goods or finding parking (29%).

“This past year has certainly proved challenging for freight truck drivers, and many of their pain points and the overall difficulties of a driving job have been brought into the limelight,” Chris Atkinson, FleetOps’ co-founder and CEO, said in a release. “It’s important for these issues to be discussed openly, as carriers are critical to the supply chain–so we get really excited when we receive data intel and survey engagement that can be shared with our partners, and allow us to collaborate on developing solutions that continue to provide operational efficiency.”