Truck Drivers' Top Industry Frustrations

Ask drivers what wears on them most, and the answers are remarkably consistent: federal recordkeeping, a stubborn lack of parking, hours-of-service pressure, and time lost to delays. Here is a rundown of the trucking-industry issues drivers say they struggle with the most.

1. ELDs

The arrival of the FMCSA mandate requiring electronic logging devices topped many drivers' lists. ELDs track hours behind the wheel, and many drivers dislike being digitally monitored and worry the devices will limit driving time and cut earnings. Some longtime drivers said the change was enough to push them toward leaving the industry altogether.

2. The 14-Hour Clock

Adhering to a strict 14-hour window, with 11 hours of allowed driving, takes a toll. "The stress of the clock ticking is in my head every day," said one driver with more than 37 years of experience, who said the pressure had cut into the time she once used for exercise and rest - and hurt her health.

3. The Mandatory 30-Minute Break

Some drivers want regulators to rescind the required 30-minute break within the first eight hours of driving. "We should be able to take a break when we are tired, not because we are forced to," said one driver. "Who can take a nap and be rested in 30 minutes?"

4. Lack of Truck Parking

Finding safe, secure parking at the end of the day is a daily worry. "If you are not parked by 10 p.m., there is no parking - the rest areas and the truck stops are full," one driver said. City restrictions often push drivers to remote areas that can leave them vulnerable.

5. Delays at Shippers and Receivers

Detention time eats directly into productive driving hours. "I have more anxiety now because I only have so much time to drive," one driver explained. "If you are held up at a shipper's for so long, you have no time to eat or shower before you have to start looking for somewhere to park because of the 14-hour clock."

6. Inexperienced Drivers

High turnover pushes some large carriers to put new drivers on the road after only a few weeks of training. "We need to focus more on driver training, because these new guys aren't learning anything before they hit the road," said one third-generation trucker.

7. No Turn Signals

Drivers are constantly frustrated by motorists - and other truckers - who fail to signal. Surprise lane changes make it far harder to safely maneuver an 80,000-pound rig. "There is a lack of courtesy, a lack of caring on the road today," one driver said.

8. Aggressive Drivers

Motorists often do not grasp how long it takes to slow and stop a loaded truck. "Cars either jump in front of you to just slow down, or cut in front of you as you are coming to a stop," said a 17-year tanker driver. "I pull tankers full of chemicals, and it isn't easy to just stop."

9. Taxes - and Headlights Off

One owner-operator said fuel taxes, tolls, and permits are the worst part of the job. Several drivers also wished motorists would turn on headlights in bad weather: "We can't see if cars are coming around us when it's raining or the weather's bad."

10. Speed-Limited Trucks

Many large fleets cap truck speed around 65 mph, which creates rolling traffic jams. A driver will start to pass a slower truck, only to have it speed up - bunching up everyone around them. "It happens all day, every day," one driver said.

These frustrations are familiar to nearly everyone who has spent time behind the wheel - and most of them come back to the same root issues: time, parking, and respect on the road.