Truckers told Insider that prolonged periods away from home, coupled with generally low pay, had made it an undesirable job.Mike Raabe/Getty Images Truckers say the industry's huge labor shortage is no surprise. They attributed it to time away from family, low pay, and the experience of living in a truck. One trucker said he spent more time video chatting to his family than seeing them in person. Truckers aren't surprised that trucking companies are struggling to recruit and retain drivers."Everything about [trucking] is bad," Leo Allseitz, a trucker of two years in Missouri, told Insider.The US has a shortage of around 80,000 truck drivers, which has wrought havoc across the US supply chain.Truckers told Insider that prolonged periods away from home, coupled with generally low pay, had made it an undesirable job."It's not even a profession, it's a lifestyle," Joe Katterman, a trucking instructor in Nebraska, said."I have a three-year-old daughter that I've literally watched grow up over video chat," he said.