Daily Archives: May 22, 2014

The Logistics Shortage Keeps Getting Worse

At least if reports are to be believed. According to a recent Fortune article, the shortage is up to 1.4 Million jobs by 2018. Wow! Especially when estimates last year put the driver shortage at a mere 240K. While logistics needs talent in high tech, analytics, robotics, engineering, seasoned managers, marketers, data analysts, and maybe even human resources, it primarily needs drivers — no drivers, no shipments. No shipments, no logistics industry.

And when you think about it, big data scientists go where the money is; high tech workers go where the tech is; robotics engineers go where the robots are; marketers are attracted by cool message and money to burn; most industries are shedding managers, who need work; and HR is HR. I don’t think forwarding thinking logistics companies are going to have any trouble attracting high tech, engineering, marketers, managers, or even HR talent. They’re going to have problems attracting drivers and warehouse workers — the same type of people they’ve been having problems attracting for a decade, because, in North America, transportation ain’t sexy, doesn’t pay well, takes a toll on your health, and still puts you in risky situations. As explained in SI’s last post on the subject, until these issues are addressed, the problem will remain.