Log truck transportation challenges and innovative solutions: evaluating the perspectives of truck drivers, logging business owners, and foresters

Abstract

ABSTRACT The wood supply chain in the United States (U.S.) is experiencing significant challenges related to truck transportation. Obstacles include truck driver recruitment and retention, increases in insurance and fuel costs, insufficient training, and truck or part shortages. This project sought to evaluate transportation inefficiencies in the Georgia, U.S. wood supply chain and to determine obstacles leading to a disconnection between logging business owners, foresters, and truck drivers. The survey targeted two populations: 1) logging business owners/foresters; and 2) log truck drivers. In addition, four case studies were conducted to evaluate innovative strategies that established businesses have enacted. Both groups indicated that a fair annual log truck driver salary should range from $60,000 to $79,000 (USD); however, owners/foresters indicated lower salaries to be more favorable (p = 0.009) and drivers indicated higher salaries to be more favorable (p = 0.029). Half of log truck drivers had been involved in timber transportation for 15 years or more, but 24% of respondents had been involved for less than 5 years, indicating that a new generation of log truck drivers are entering the workforce. Barriers to becoming a log truck driver include limited fringe benefits, lower wages relative to other trucking sectors, and lack of driver experience. Timber transportation capacity is impacted the most by insurance, driver availability, and fuel prices. This study confirmed that there are numerous obstacles facing timber transportation, but also found agreement between drivers and business owners, as well as innovative strategies that are being used throughout the region to improve efficiency.