IRVINE, CA – Seventy nine percent of American transport companies expect to increase their workforces this year and nearly one quarter of them think they’ll grow by six percent or more.

That’s just one of the findings in a newly released survey conducted by the Irvine, CA.,-based HireRight, one of the world’s largest employment screening companies.

HireRight surveyed more than 3,000 individuals in the fourth quarter of 2013 and just released the results in a report called Transportation Spotlight 2014. The 30-page document covers concerns ranging from sleep apnea and hair-testing to reasons why drivers quit.

Overall, the survey suggests that truckers were optimistic going into 2014 with almost 20 percent planning on hiring new drivers and seven percent planning on hiring new contractors. Almost 60 percent said they would retain their current workforce size.

Other trends of note:

• 51: Percent of drivers who say they quit to make more money;
• 41: Percent of drivers who quit because they want more home time;
• 55: Average age of commercial drivers in the U.S.A;
• 39: Percent of respondents who intend to improve retention by increasing driver pay in 2014;
• 7: Percent of respondents who test drivers’ hair to sniff out illicit drug use.

Click here to see the complete report.