Even before the pandemic hit, the trucking industry was in need of tens of thousands of drivers. Shutdowns and new regulations/precautions have disrupted supply chains, while social distancing and limited hours further inconvenience newly trained truck drivers seeking to obtain a license.

For years, there has been a growing shortage of qualified CDL-A drivers, and it has only gotten worse. According to the American Trucking Association, there’s a shortage of 60,000 truck drivers nationwide with a predicted increase of over 100,000 by 2021.

Why is this shortage happening? Baby Boomer drivers are retiring due to age, stricter DOT medical certification processes, and frustration with newly required Electronic Log Devices (ELDs) which have created tighter hours of service regulations. This technology – which is designed to enforce limits on driving time without breaks – has not only pushed many seasoned drivers to quit, but also reduces the number of trucks available overall.

Additionally, millennials are far less enthused than previous generations to join the trucking force due to the arduous duty of long cross-country trips, away for days and weeks at a time. Furthermore, the men and women completing tractor trailer schools these days are not always accepted by insurance companies, which often require at least three years of driving experience.

What does all of this mean for wood pellet stove owners? Much like so many others, this industry has suffered ongoing trucking shortage effects such as price fluctuations, inconsistent supply transportation and difficulty maintaining a full staff of qualified home delivery drivers.

Our team is working tirelessly to schedule safe, convenient home deliveries for our customers across the Northeast. If you have not yet secured your home’s wood pellet fuel for the upcoming heating season, place your order online or call 1-800-PELLETS as soon as possible to get yourself into the delivery queue! 

The forklift needs a lot of clearance. It’s actually over 8 feet wide, and the highest point is also 8 feet tall. It’s mounted on the back of the truck, which parks in the road. The driver lowers it down to the ground, uses it to remove your fuel from the truck, and then drives it up your driveway to place the pallets where you need them.

Note: Due to the heavy weight of the load and the forklift itself, it can’t be driven across any leach fields, sprinkler lines, or soft lawn. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding where to have your pallets of fuel placed!

The forklift’s path must be clear. Forgetting to move cars out of the way is a common mistake, and one that can really make for a more difficult delivery. Keeping a clear path (at least 8 feet wide, including any turns) for the driver is important, not only for saving time – but for protecting your belongings. Our drivers are very careful and skilled, but as we mentioned before, the forklift is pretty bulky and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces.

Note: Moving cars, toys, and equipment out of the way is important – but so is getting kids and pets out of the area! Keeping children and any pets inside during delivery is very helpful to the driver. There are already many variables to think about during a delivery, so avoiding the addition of small running bodies to the mix is crucial.

We love details, details, details! Does your road have heavy construction going on? Is your driveway hard to find? Does your address not come up on GPS? If our drivers know ahead of time what to be prepared for, we can better serve you. It’s better to be up front about any tricky circumstances especially, so the delivery team can do all that’s possible to find a solution ahead of time.

Communication is key! Our delivery team will send you an email, text your phone, and/or call you (whichever way you’ve indicated you prefer) to confirm your delivery. Also, sometimes we reach out ahead of time to confirm your delivery instructions or to get clarification on something. If you get a message requesting a call or email back from our team, try to get back to us as soon as possible. Depending on the information we require from you, we probably won’t be able to schedule a delivery if there are unanswered questions pending.

Sometimes it’s helpful to leave a sign or mark where you want the pallets. Many driveway deliveries have instructions like this: “Please place pallets by the garage door”. Does this mean the customer wants the pallets near the entry door, so he or she can bring the bags inside to hand-stack? Or should the pallet be placed in front of the bay door? Which one if there are multiple? If you want a much more specific location for placement, mark the space with a sign, or an overturned trashcan, and let us know your indicator. Our driver will do everything possible to safely deliver your pallets where you want them.

You do not need to be home to accept a delivery. If your schedule isn’t meshing with ours, it’s totally fine. As long as your instructions are clear and you let us know exactly where you’d like your fuel our driver can handle it in most situations without your physical presence. We also have your contact information in case something comes up, of course.

Note: Garage deliveries often involve the customer being at home, to open the door to allow the pallet jack to place the fuel inside. However, many customers are fine with leaving the garage door open if they can’t be home at the time of delivery. It’s all about whatever you are comfortable with! 

Did you opt for a garage placement? Are we able to move around in the garage? Now that you’ve cleared your driveway for our equipment, have you cleared a path in the garage for the pallet jack? This is another overlooked step at times, unfortunately. The pallet jack, while smaller than the forklift, is still a heavy-duty piece of equipment. Make sure all the stuff that tends to accumulate in the garage is cleared out of the path of your fuel’s final destination. Also be sure to take note of how large your pallets are to be sure your space is ready.

We are always happy to answer any questions you might have. Please give us a call at 1-800-PELLETS to speak to a pellet expert, or visit Woodpellets.com for more information.