Nationwide truck driver shortage impacting Yonkers trucking company

A help wanted sign has been up for months outside Ron's Trucking Company in Yonkers.

News 12 Staff

Oct 20, 2021, 8:15 PM

Updated 1,086 days ago

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The nationwide truck driver shortage is having a huge impact on a Yonkers trucking company.
A help wanted sign has been up for months outside Ron's Trucking Company in Yonkers. 
"We have about maybe five to six current reliable drivers, and I could use another five to seven drivers," says Ron Williams, owner of Ron's Trucking Company. 
Despite an hourly rate increase and a willingness to train inexperienced drivers, it's been a rough road. 
Williams blames the shortage of drivers, in part, on the government's enhanced unemployment benefits. 
"A lot of guys were sitting on the sidelines, and a lot of guys you know, were begging to come to work, and they'd just rather stay home," he says. 
Williams says some would-be drivers wanted to work - but with certain conditions. 
"Guys wanted to come to work, but they wanted to get paid under the table," he says. 

The driver shortage has gotten to the point that Ron's Trucking Company routinely has to refer work out to other companies.

The industry is short 80,000 drivers, according to the American Trucking Association. 

Derrol Armstrong has worked at Ron's Trucking for six years and says he is thankful he has a job. 

"I can't complain. As long as I got a job working, I can support my family, keep a room over my kids' head, my lady's head - I ain't got nothing to complain about," he says. 

Williams is optimistic things will get better. 
He says he has been getting a lot more calls now that the enhanced unemployment is up.