If you run a fleet or manage logistics for a living, you already know this feeling. You’ve got a load that needs to move, a customer waiting on the other end, and a driver roster that’s one call-out away from falling apart. It’s stressful, it’s expensive, and it’s happening more often than it used to.
The CDL driver shortage isn’t a rumour or an industry talking point. It’s something fleet managers are dealing with in real time, every week.
Why There Aren’t Enough Drivers
The pipeline simply hasn’t kept up. Older drivers are retiring faster than new ones are entering the industry. Getting a CDL-A licence takes time and money that a lot of people aren’t willing to front. And the lifestyle of commercial driving — long hours, time away from home, physical demands — isn’t for everyone.
The American Trucking Associations has flagged a shortfall that could hit 160,000 drivers within the next few years. That’s not a blip. That’s a structural problem, and it’s not going to fix itself.
Permanent Hiring Can’t Cover Everything
Hiring full-time drivers is still the right move for your core capacity. But it doesn’t solve every problem. A permanent hire takes weeks — sometimes months — of recruiting, screening, and onboarding. That doesn’t help you when a driver calls in sick at 6am and you have a load scheduled for 7.
That’s exactly where temporary CDL temp staffing makes a real difference. A qualified driver who’s already vetted, already cleared, and can be behind the wheel within days — not weeks — is a completely different kind of resource. It’s the coverage you need without the overhead of carrying extra headcount year-round.
Seasonal peaks, short-notice contract wins, medical leave, unexpected resignations — these situations don’t pause while you run a recruiting cycle.
The Right Driver for the Right Job
Here’s something that gets overlooked: not all CDL drivers are interchangeable. Hazmat endorsements, tanker experience, direct store delivery, multi-axle trailers — each one has its own requirements. Putting a driver in a role they’re not qualified for isn’t just inefficient. It’s a safety issue and a compliance problem.
RSS Inc. has been placing commercial drivers for over 30 years, specifically in transportation and logistics. The drivers in their network aren’t generalists pulled from unrelated work — they’re experienced commercial drivers with verified histories, completed background checks, and compliance audits already done before they show up at your door.
Compliance Is Always on the Clock
Hours of service rules, drug testing, medical certifications, vehicle inspections — the regulatory burden on commercial fleets is significant, and a single slip can mean fines, out-of-service orders, or worse. When your staffing partner handles all of that as part of their process, you’re not just getting a driver. You’re removing a layer of risk from your operation.
When You Need Someone Today
The hardest situation isn’t a planned gap — it’s the one that shows up without warning. A sudden illness, a family emergency, a resignation that hits you on a Friday afternoon. If your plan at that point is to start making calls and hope for the best, you’re already behind.
Having a relationship with a CDL staffing provider — with drivers already pre-cleared and ready to go, nationwide across all 50 states — turns a potential crisis into something you can actually manage. That’s the practical value of having a plan before you need one.
It’s Not Just About Filling Seats
The fleets that handle the driver shortage best aren’t necessarily the biggest or the best-funded. They’re the ones that treat workforce flexibility as part of how they operate — not something they scramble for when things go wrong.
A reliable staffing partner who’s been doing this for decades, who knows the industry, and who can actually deliver when you call isn’t a luxury. In a market this tight, it’s one of the smarter operational decisions you can make. See more