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How are operators handling 2026's driver shortage?

Ray M.asked 0 viewsRental OperatorsVacuum truckService visitPsaiHiringTraining

This year's driver shortage is hitting my Dallas operation hard. I've got a fleet of standard portable toilets, deluxe units with sinks, and a couple of restroom trailers, but I can't get them all serviced on schedule. The biggest problem is finding someone who shows up on time, can handle a vacuum truck, and understands the route. My last hire quit after two weeks because he couldn't stand the smell, even with the formaldehyde-free deodorizer we use. Training takes time too, you have to teach them how to place a unit on level ground, hook up the hoses without spilling, and pump a full restroom trailer that needs a generator and a water hookup. What's the single biggest challenge you're facing in hiring right now? Is it the pay, the work itself, or finding people with a CDL?

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Tyler R.Columbus, OH

The biggest hiring challenge on the route side is finding people who will stick through the first month of vacuum truck work, not the CDL alone.

Pay gets applicants in the door. The work filters them out. Pumping a full restroom trailer with generator noise, hose spills, and summer heat is a different job than driving a box truck. New hires who quit after two weeks usually leave for the same reasons you listed: smell, mess, and the pace of a packed service visit schedule.

From the jobsite side I see the shortage show up as late or skipped weekly services. When a driver calls out, the route gets compressed and units sit longer. Crews notice ammonia and tank level before anyone at the office does. If you are cutting routes, tell customers which day slips and reset expectations. A late service with notice beats a ghosted Friday.

Training that sticks is ride-alongs on live stops, not classroom. Leveling, hose discipline, and leaving a unit clean enough that the next crew does not complain. Formaldehyde-free chemistry helps the cab; it does not make the tank job easy.

CDL helps for the truck. Attitude and stomach keep the seat filled.

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