Tulsa Company Deals With National Trucker Shortage

There is a shortage of truck drivers nationwide and the industry say it's only going to get worse if changes aren't made.

The latest numbers from the American Trucking Association show the current shortage is almost 40-thousand truckers nationally and they say that number could almost quadruple in eight years.

Melton Truck Lines recruiting director Melissa Stephan said time away from home, lack of respect for employees and challenges of eating healthy all contribute to the shortage.

She told me the company is getting more creative in recruiting drivers. She says Melton shows their drivers they care by communicating, using a wellness coordinator and putting them in newer equipment.

She says the shortage could affect holiday deliveries for national companies that haul packages like toys, for instance.