The freight industry has a CDL issue, and it’s deeper than it seems

You’ve probably heard this before: “We need more drivers.” You’ve probably said it, too. Maybe last week, maybe this morning. But here’s the thing — the commercial driver’s license (CDL) problem isn’t just about finding people to fill seats. It’s about the fact that even when we do fill them, the system around CDLs is… broken. Outdated. Slow. Sometimes downright absurd. And the deeper you look, the more you realize: we don’t just have a driver shortage. We have a pipeline problem.

Step 1: Actually getting a CDL is harder than it should be

Let’s start at square one. Someone wants to drive a truck. They’re ready to put in the hours. They’ve got the attitude. Maybe they’ve even been working in a warehouse or riding along as a helper. Great. Then they try to get a CDL. Depending on the state, this can take months. Not because of the training — because of scheduling delays, red tape, lack of instructors, or test site bottlenecks.

In some places, there’s literally a waiting list to take the skills test. Real story: One applicant in Georgia was told they could take the CDL test “sometime in March.” It was November. By the time that person gets approved, they might’ve already taken another job. Or lost interest. Or gotten tired of fighting a system that seems to want them to fail.

Step 2: Getting through training doesn’t guarantee you’re job-ready

Here’s where it gets weird. CDL programs — especially low-cost ones — focus heavily on passing the test. Which, fine, is technically the goal. But that doesn’t always mean the new driver knows how to do the job. Backing into tight docks. Handling load shifts. Dealing with receivers who don’t care that your GPS said you’d be early. Reading a BOL that’s been faxed three times and scanned sideways. CDL schools don’t teach that. Companies do — or at least, they try to. But when your new hire is starting from zero, that takes time. Time your dispatcher might not have.

Step 3: The churn. Oh, the churn.

Let’s say you do find someone with a license. And they’re competent. Great — now keep them. This is the part no one wants to talk about: new CDL drivers quit. Fast. And often. Sometimes it’s pay expectations. Sometimes it’s schedule shock. Sometimes it’s the reality of being alone in a truck for 60 hours a week when you thought this was going to feel “freeing.”

“We trained 6 people this quarter. One stayed.”
 — Quote from a fleet manager who’s no longer even surprised.

The industry pushes hard for new blood — but we’re losing people just as fast as we bring them in.

Step 4: The aging driver base isn’t a “future” problem. It’s now.

The average age of a CDL-A driver in the U.S.? About 48. The average age of someone getting their CDL? Around 35–40. That’s a problem. Because it means we’re not pulling from the bottom of the workforce — we’re filling seats with people who already have decades of work behind them. Nothing wrong with that. But it’s not sustainable. We’re not building a career path. We’re plugging holes with people who are closer to retirement than promotion.

So, what’s actually going on here?

Let’s be blunt:

• The system to get a CDL is too slow
• The training often isn’t job-relevant
• We don’t support new drivers once they’re in
• The lifestyle still sucks for a lot of people
• And the future workforce isn’t convinced this is a career worth pursuing

And we wonder why turnover’s sky-high?

What needs to change (and what might help)

Some ideas that aren’t just buzzwords:

• Fast-track CDL testing capacity — more examiners, better scheduling, less lag.
• Modernize training — real-world skills, not just test drills.
• Pair rookies with real mentors — not just “ride along for three days and good luck.”
• Rethink the image — talk to young people like humans. Show them the real career path.
• Invest in retention, not just recruitment — because what’s the point of filling a leaky bucket?

Final word: This isn’t a driver shortage. It’s a system failure.

If the industry wants a future, it can’t just throw sign-on bonuses and hope for the best. We’ve got to make the process make sense — for people who aren’t in it yet. That means fixing the bottlenecks, rethinking the pitch, and being honest about what the job really is. Because “just get more drivers” is easy to say. But the reality? It’s a lot messier. And we’ve got work to do.