Companies confront truck driver shortage: Demand is high despite better pay, more time off
Amid the steady rumble of diesel engines, Ricky Smith parks his 18-wheeler among a raft of big rigs at the TA Travel Center in Boone County to relax and grab a bite to eat. It’s after 6 p.m., and the Tennessee resident is delivering grocery products on his weekly route that extends from Michigan to Georgia. Drawn by the opportunity to make more money, Smith ditched his job three years ago as a diesel mechanic to drive a truck. “I…