Trucking industry will lose drivers if not exempted from US government vaccine mandates – ATA

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The US trucking industry, already short by more than 80,000 drivers, risks losing even more if the US government does not exempt them from coronavirus vaccine mandates, according to a panellist at the virtual PLASTICS Packaging Summit.

Bill Sullivan, executive vice president for advocacy at American Trucking Associations, said a recent survey of about 120,000 truck drivers found that as many as a third said they would retire or look for another company if forced to take the vaccine.

“We have been pushing to keep our employees safe, and our employers have been working on public health guidance to make sure that our largely remote workers – who are mostly isolated in the cab of a truck during their workday – are safe,” Sullivan said.

He said that the administration of US President Joe Biden released a framework for its vaccine policy on Thursday that did not create an exemption for the trucking industry.

In a statement from the White House, the administration said details will be forthcoming on the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirement for employers with 100 or more employees to ensure each of their workers is fully vaccinated or tests for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis.

Sullivan said the trucking industry has seen lower infection rates and lower mortality rates than the average American.

“We are hopeful – we will fight this however we can,” Sullivan said, adding that he hopes the industry can work constructively with the White House.

“So far, we have not been exempted,” he said. “But we hope that some of these remote worker, or isolated worker conditions could be something we might be able to pursue. All I know is that when we are already at a shortage of 80,000 drivers – even if it is just 3% that leave the workforce, that is still catastrophic based on where we are.”

INDUSTRY STATISTICS
Sullivan said the annual survey on the industry showed a shortage of 80,000 drivers, which is up significantly from a shortage of 61,000 from the survey taken prior to the pandemic.

“We are seeing a lot of attrition,” he said. “The average age of a truck driver is older than the average American worker. We are just not able to replace the attrition we are seeing in a given year.”

Sullivan added that the port issues on the Pacific coast are slightly exacerbated by some of the unique regulations and laws in California about who can drive into ports and with what equipment.

“Those were all done with good intentions, but they are increasing the problems we are having today,” he said.

The supply chain crunch is also impacting the ability of trucking companies to buy new rigs, he said.

“Equipment – companies are trying to replace trucks – but the newer equipment relies on higher technology, and higher-grade components so the microchip shortage is also becoming a major issue,” he said.

The PLASTICS Packaging Summit, organised by the Plastics Industry Association, runs through Friday.

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