Driver shortage in the US has become a big issue like never witnessed before. Most companies have even decided to outsource drivers from abroad. Holly McCormick had no choice but to work with an agency in South Africa to get drivers. Groendyke Transport Inc. doubled its budget when the pandemic started; however, getting drivers is still challenging.
Causes of the Driver Shortage
As reported by Transport Topics, the shortage of drivers has been an issue for quite some while now. However, the level of the lack grew even more significant due to the pandemic. Various other reasons that led to the crisis include a high rate of turnover due to retirements of the drivers. In addition, other drivers left their jobs due to the harsh conditions at their places of work. Therefore, attaining a balance between work and their everyday life was the main reason for the high turnover rates.
Effects OF Driver Shortage
Trucking is an essential part of the day-to-day economy since it is at the center of the supply chain. The shortage of drivers affected the supply chain, affecting the economy negatively and slowing down the recovery process. The shortage led to a lack of gasoline at filling stations and insufficiency of jet fuel at airports. It also led to an increase in commodity prices, especially as a result of the delays.
Solving the Driver Shortage
Jose Gomez-Urquiza, CEO of Visa Solutions, said there had been an increase in demand for their services. However, bringing in foreign workers requires a lot of clearances. Therefore, from the federation to the government, all parties involved met to discuss a way forward. They discussed the way forward on how to retain the drivers. Some of the measures include: reducing the minimum age limit to 18 years and reducing regulations around the immigration certification process.
The pandemic hit the trucking industry hard, leading to a shortage of drivers like never seen before. For the economy to recover, there has to be a solution to the driver shortage. Both the government and the trucking industry must work together to come up with a way of improving driver recruitment and retention.
