Why Drivers Quit, Part 2

In Part 1, we examined the early warning signs that show up in the weeks and months before drivers quit. The data shows that drivers don’t leave over one bad day — but many of them are one bad day away from quitting. Most drivers quit because of a pattern of dysfunction that makes the job unsustainable.

Today we dive deeper into the issues themselves, revealing the most common breaking points that ultimately result in resignation.

The Breaking Points: Unpacking the Most Cited Concerns That Push Drivers Over the Edge

When we stack up the feedback alongside turnover data, we start to see a compelling story of dissatisfaction across the trucking industry. Truck drivers face a range of challenges on any given day. Without the support they need, these challenges — which can range from ignored messages to dispatch to unsafe working conditions to problems with management and beyond — become unsustainable and ultimately pushing drivers to their breaking point.

The data further indicate that these issues are not isolated personal problems but rather that most departures follow predictable patterns, revealing repeated company failures that force drivers to leave.

Here is a look at the most commonly raised issues.

1. Operational Problems (22.8%)

Operational inefficiencies, including poor load planning, unresponsive dispatchers, and excessive wait times, were cited by almost 23% of drivers. These issues leave drivers feeling undervalued and unsupported in a job that demands considerable time, effort, and sacrifice.

Keep in mind poor operations aren’t just minor irritations about workflows. When operations fail, it completely undermines a driver’s ability to work effectively, creating stress, breeding inefficiency, and damaging morale. Being a truck driver means doing a great deal of your job at the full mercy of managers and dispatch staff. When the fleet’s support system doesn’t fully understand the logistics and dynamics of a driver’s job — or worse, doesn’t care — there are few things tethering the driver to the company. Would you stay at a job where your only support system continued to let you down?
Drivers specifically call it issues with dispatcher training, a lack of streamlined communication processes, and a breakdown of efficiency.

The Path to Quitting:

1. Dispatch assigns inefficient loads or forces excessive deadhead miles.
2. Driver reports issues, but goes unacknowledged.
3. Long delays and poor coordination create cascading problems.
4. Every day brings new frustrations from old problems that now affect earnings.
5. Rather than fight a broken system, driver quits.

69 days before departure: Planning keeps me sitting idle for days, either without loads or with delayed delivery schedules. I’ve been waiting 15 hours for a correct appointment number after being given the wrong one, losing more driving time. Can’t pay bills without miles.

2. Work-Life Balance (21.4%)

The trucking industry is notorious for its demanding schedules, a reality that most drivers acknowledge and accept as part of the job. However, even the most dedicated drivers require time off to rest and recharge. While the nature of the work is challenging, some employers overstep, asking too much of their driving fleet. Drivers who are denied reliable home time or forced to navigate unpredictable schedules quickly find themselves burnt out physically, mentally, and emotionally. For most drivers in this scenario, the work becomes unsustainable.

Many drivers harbor no dislike for the work itself, but quit anyway because they cannot maintain the overwhelming pace and unpredictable schedules that are often imposed upon them. The lack of a healthy work-life balance takes too big a toll on their well-being, forcing them to find less taxing work or a more supportive employer.

The Path to Quitting:

1. Home time is promised at recruitment.
2. After hire, home requests are ignored or changed at the last minute.
3. Unpredictable schedules disrupt the driver’s personal life.
4. Driver misses a key family event due to poor planning.
5. The emotional and physical toll becomes too much. Driver quits.

65 Days Before Quitting: Requested home time for DMV appointment, but wasn’t brought closer to home. Feels inconsiderate of personal needs.

3. Equipment and Maintenance Issues (17.7%)

For some drivers, equipment issues are the final straw. Complaints range from persistent breakdowns to being assigned poorly maintained trucks. Imagine a firefighter with a faulty hose or a chef with a dull knife or broken oven. In professions where tools are critical to performance, malfunctioning equipment hinders productivity, not to mention compromises safety and the ability to perform basic tasks.

For truck drivers, unreliable or unsafe trucks and equipment create similar challenges. Beyond delaying deliveries and disrupting business, equipment problems endanger drivers and erode their trust in the company. For a truck driver, the truck isn’t just a tool. It’s their workplace, livelihood, and, in many cases, home for days or weeks at a time. So, when that workplace is unreliable, unsafe, or poorly maintained, it sends a clear message: The company isn’t invested in the driver’s success or well-being.

Worse, ongoing equipment failures create a compounding effect of lost income and operational headaches. Delays caused by breakdowns mean missed loads, wasted hours, and paychecks that don’t reflect the time put in. Some drivers report paying for minor repairs out of pocket just to stay on the road, while others face the frustration of sitting unpaid while waiting for a fix that should have been prevented in the first place.

Over time, repeated failures become impossible to overlook. A driver might tolerate an isolated breakdown as an occupational hazard, but when any repair or maintenance request feels like a battle and every trip comes with the risk of sitting stranded, they start looking for an employer that treats equipment reliability as a priority.

The Path to Quitting:

1. Driver reports that truck needs minor maintenance or repair.
2. Report ignored, minor repair now impacts fuel efficiencies.
3. Minor repair now a major issue, driver worries about safety.
4. Truck breaks down and driver is left stranded and unpaid.
5. Frustrated, ignored, and making less money than expected, driver quits.

43 Days Before Quitting: The shop has repeatedly failed to address serious issues with our truck. They ignored a persistent check engine light, and their negligence in securing the fuel filter cover caused my truck to die in a customer yard.

4. Technology and Systems Failures (10.2%)

Technology is supposed to streamline the job, not make it harder. When systems fail, frustration builds fast. In our analysis, more than 10% of the 12,000+ comments flagged technology as a significant pain point, with issues ranging from unreliable hardware and lagging ELD systems to dangerous braking malfunctions and invasive privacy concerns. Drivers rely on these tools for navigation, compliance, and communication, but they don’t always have the intended experience.

Many drivers report ELDs freezing, crashing, or failing to log hours correctly, forcing manual workarounds that increase compliance risks and take extra effort time. Others raised concerns about bad GPS routing that directed them onto restricted roads or caused unnecessary detours, leading to wasted time and fuel. Perhaps most alarming, some drivers cited automated braking and collision avoidance systems being engaged at the wrong time, creating more hazards than they prevent.

Beyond technical failures, inward-facing cameras and expanded tracking measures have sparked growing resentment. While these tools are often positioned as safety measures, without clear policies on data use and privacy, drivers view them as intrusive rather than protective, further eroding trust between them and their employers.

The Path to Quitting:

1. Company rolls out new automated systems with little driver input or training.
2. Driver experiences repeated tech failures that disrupt workflow and safety.
3. Reports of malfunctions go unaddressed or dismissed as “user error.”
4. Driver loses confidence in the equipment and company’s priorities.
5. Frustrated with wasted time, compliance risks, and unsafe tech, driver quits.

43 Days Before Quitting: The new trucks’ technology is problematic – they frequently shift to neutral without my input, and I don’t have full control over throttle or transmission. The crash mitigation system causes more problems than it solves. I hate digital processes, including the tablet system. I preferred the old one with its numbered system.

5. Communication Issues (8.9%)

For a job that depends on coordination and collaboration, poor communication is a natural dealbreaker. Nearly 9% of drivers who quit cited communication failures like unanswered calls, voicemail black holes, or sluggish responses to urgent issues. Sometimes drivers need immediate access to those in a position to help, yet many report waiting hours, days, and in some cases, weeks for simple resolutions.

One of the most common complaints is the lack of consistency across shifts. Many drivers say that night or weekend dispatch is unresponsive or unwilling to solve problems, forcing them to either wait until morning — or Monday — or find a workaround themselves. Others describe having to repeatedly explain the same issue to different dispatchers, only for it to go unresolved. Without proper handoffs and internal coordination, drivers lose valuable time on simple fixes that should have been handled on the first call.

Beyond dispatcher issues, mandatory messaging systems often add unnecessary delays. Some fleets require drivers to communicate exclusively through onboard tablets or apps, which can slow down real-time problem-solving when a phone call would be faster. Others operate with outdated voicemail systems, leaving drivers stranded without critical support when they need it most.
It all adds up to delays, frustration, and the feeling that no one is listening — which is about the time they decide to look for an employer who will.

The Path to Quitting:

1. Driver contacts dispatch for urgent support, but gets no response.
2. Given no choice, driver solves the problem himself, but loses valuable time and miles.
3. Driver reports issue to management, hoping they will take steps to change the issue.
4. Driver once again needs urgent support, but gets no response.
5. Fed up, unheard, and unsupported, driver quits.

81 Days Before Quitting: Communication between shifts is nonexistent. Night shift ignores urgent questions, forcing me to get everything handled during day shift or be stuck. While I can solve many problems independently, some issues require approval that I can’t get.

Beyond the Top 5: Other Notable Breaking Points

While these top five issues account for the majority of driver resignations, several other patterns emerged. These concerns may not rank at the very top, but they represent serious trust breakers that drive disengagement and turnover.

• Management & Culture Issues (7.3%) – Poor leadership, lack of respect, favoritism and other problems within workforce dynamics.
• Safety Concerns (6.7%) – Being pushed to run unsafe loads or ignore equipment issues.
• Broken Promises (5.5%) – Recruiters overpromising on miles, bonuses, and home time.
• Excessive Wait Times (5.4%) – Long detention times eating into earnings.
• Feeling Undervalued (3.6%) – Drivers feeling like disposable assets rather than skilled professionals.

It’s also important to understand that none of these issues exist in isolation. A driver frustrated by long wait times is likely also dealing with unreliable equipment, causing delays that disrupt scheduled home time and affecting earning potential. A driver who feels misled by recruiters may also be struggling with unresponsive management when they try to resolve those discrepancies. These problems compound, reinforcing a growing sense of neglect, frustration, and disillusionment.

More broadly, these issues paint a troubling picture of driver-employer relationships in companies with high turnover. The recurring themes — poor communication, lack of support, and broken commitments — suggest systemic management and philosophical failures in how some companies view and treat their drivers.

This insight should inform the industry’s approach to retention, and it starts by acknowledging that addressing isolated issues isn’t enough. Companies need a shift in mindset, recognizing that building trust, improving communication, and creating a culture of respect are just as essential as operational fixes.

Dispelling The Pay Myth

Pay is often assumed to be among the primary reasons drivers leave because compensation is often part of the conversation when a driver quits. But the data tells a more nuanced story. While compensation is a critical factor in job satisfaction, only 4.9% of pay-related complaints are purely about base rates. The vast majority — more than 95%! — of so-called “pay issues” are actually symptoms of operational inefficiencies that prevent drivers from maximizing their earnings, or in some cases just making the minimums they were promised.

The biggest factor behind pay-related frustration isn’t the rate per mile, it’s dispatch and load planning failures. When drivers are assigned inconsistent or low-mileage loads, forced into excessive deadhead miles, or stuck waiting at shippers and receivers, their take-home pay suffers. Equipment problems add another layer to the issue, creating downtime that eats into earnings, sometimes forcing drivers to pay out of pocket for minor repairs just to stay on the road.

When drivers report pay concerns, most of the time their problem is the result of the system not working. So addressing these frustrations isn’t about raising wages — it’s about ensuring that drivers can work efficiently, keep their trucks moving, and get paid for the time they put in.

Staying Ahead of the Breaking Points

What emerges from this analysis is a clear pattern of failure points that can lead drivers to quit. But, it is also a roadmap for positive change.

If a company wants to keep its drivers, it must first recognize that retention is not about fixing just one issue, whether that’s home time, communication, or equipment. Drivers quit because of compounding problems and inefficiencies that make their jobs harder than they need to be. The fleets that succeed in retention build systems that prevent these frustrations in the first place.

Next Up: Part 3 – The Fix

Part 1 showed us the early warning signs, Part 2 revealed the breaking points, and Part 3 is about solutions. We’re diving into the strategies companies can use to stop the cycle of turnover before it starts. We’ll explore real-world examples of fleets that have improved retention, the operational changes that make the biggest difference, and the long-term solutions that create a work environment where drivers want to stay.

Stay tuned for the next installment!