It’s no secret that there’s a CDL driver shortage. It feels like it’s been going on forever with no end in sight. For some glass distributors, Covid 19 and the supply chain slowdown have exacerbated the driver shortage and pushed it to the top of the issues list. A recent Glass Magazine article mentioned that one of the top four takeaways from the 2021 Top Metal Report by leading metal and glass companies is the challenge of continued labor shortages...especially the shortage of truck drivers and transportation labor.
When the Going Gets Tough...the Smart Find a Better Way.
Some of MyGlassTruck’s larger customers have accepted that fewer CDL drivers in the hiring pool is the “new normal”. They’re exploring out-of-the-box solutions to keep their deliveries moving. One scenario that looks to have traction is instead of utilizing heavy duty trailers and trucks with class A or B CDL drivers to deliver as many orders as possible to large routes, they’re breaking up those loads and using multiple medium duty glass trucks operated by non-CDL drivers to deliver to sections of the same route. Others are exploring adding standard pick-up trucks with side mounted glaziers racks that anyone with a drivers license can operate to quickly deliver small orders.
Other Advantages of Lower GVW Trucks
Along with reducing the need for CDL drivers, lower GVW trucks offer simplified, quicker loading since each truck is delivering to a scaled down route; Flexibility - smaller trucks can service more locations simultaneously; Less downtime - with multiple trucks there’s back-up if a truck goes out of service. Right now, Non-CDL drivers also cost less to employ than CDL drivers, but an unofficial search of average wages on ZipRecruiter shows the gap is narrowing.
It’s a Weighty Situation
Heavy duty class 8 and 7 trucks and trailers have GVW ratings of higher than 26,001 lbs. and must be operated by class A or B CDL licensed drivers. In contrast, medium duty traditional cab and cab-over chassis, and bed delete pick-up trucks up to class 6 have GVWs under 26,000 lbs. and can be fitted with glass truck bodies and operated by non-CDL drivers. Some examples of medium duty truck chassis include the Mack MD6, Chevy Low Cab Forward, and the Chevy 5500.
New Generation of Glass Truck Bodies
Aluminum racks have revolutionized flat glass delivery. They’re engineered to be strong and weigh less to increase the payloads that can be transported by smaller trucks. MyGlassTruck aluminum bodies are built over a steel frame for durability and longevity. The Patriot series offers open access to the entire body for loading and our Champion series offers retractable curtains to protect glass from the elements. The Atlas truck body is available in an under 10,001 GVW model that doesn’t require a DOT medical card to operate. Each of these truck bodies can be customized to fit your specific needs by our in-house engineering department.
Call or Click to Find Out More
MyGlassTruck is more than America’s leading manufacturer of glass truck bodies, trailers. and glaziers racks. Our thirty-plus years of working with glass distributors and installers of all sizes has made us logistics experts. We’ll be glad to discuss your glass delivery fleet and offer any strategies or insights we have. Or truck bodies are priced competitively and the advice is free.
