For the 600,000 interstate carriers on file at the Office of Motor Vehicles, and approximately as many intrastate carriers, ample opportunities for growth and expansion paint a bright future for the transportation industry. The question then becomes: “Will the industry be staffed well enough to take advantage of what looks to be a slam dunk for success?”

In some quarters, that answer is a resounding “No!”

Tighter economies, higher costs and, therefore, lower profitability in the early years of the new millennium led some companies to what the corporate community now refers to as “dumbsizing.” Even as business opportunities continued on an even keel, some companies reduced the size of their workforce to the point of inefficiency and, in some cases, unprofitability.

Add to this a similar practice, termed “corporate anorexia,” where management’s fear of profit loss leads to excessive cost-cut ting; and you have a huge cohort of workers who are looking to jump ship just as soon as more job opportunities make themselves available.

In the interim, the paranoia created by cost cuts and downsizing (or dumbsizing ) has left in its wake battalions of severely over worked and burned-out employees, from drivers and clerks to middle and senior managers, just waiting to leave. Called “warm chair attrition,” this loss of productivity — because employees dislike their jobs and are just waiting for the right time to quit and move on to something better — is rampant in freight companies of all sizes.

As the job market continues to turn around and American households get their budgets back in balance, expect to see thousands of transportation workers looking for greener pastures — unless the industry begins tweaking the paradigm, and doing it sooner rather than later.

Thanks to layoffs and other modern business practices, loyalty is no longer automatic or immediate. Today’s employees are loyal in direct proportion to the employer’s demonstrated fairness, generosity and willingness to actually take care of employees in their times of need. If these elements are not part of the picture, employees will come and go at the speed of light — particularly if other job options are within their reach.

Other business elements have changed, as well. Training has improved and more skill sets are required for every job. Systems have become more complex and it’s no longer possible to take a good driver and put him or her on the road without specialized training in multiple electronic systems and routines.

To be profitable, today’s transportation industry requires topnotch employers hiring workers with unsurpassed skills who are willing to commit to long-term relationships. Longevity and loyalty must be first on the list of priorities for any company. Continuity is key to success in every aspect of transportation — from customer service to vendor relationships and from regulatory compliance to balanced management of costs and profits.

In short, transportation leadership must be willing to step up to the plate, change outmoded corporate mindsets and begin hiring those individuals — from the top down — who will bring their organizations into new operational paradigms that will benefit not only employees and management but also customers as well.