... “what really counts are those that participate,” Belzer said. Teamsters locals with strong trucking DNAs tend to have a stronger affinity for the union and thus a higher level of voter participation, according to Belzer. Many Teamsters members who work outside of trucking, by contrast, may not be as engaged, he said.

"The first thing to know about the truck driver shortage, experts said, is that it’s not exactly a shortage. 'It’s a recruitment and retention problem,' said Michael Belzer, a trucking industry expert at Wayne State University."