Truck drivers are an integral part of the supply chain, yet there continues to be a decline of workers and a shortage of drivers. In the past, factors contributing to the truck driver shortage included overlooked career opportunities, the barrier to young drivers, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the shortage, truck drivers may be pared down further with the recent vaccine mandate announcement from President Biden.
Here’s how this announcement may affect the logistics industry.
Other Factors Contributing to the Shortage
We listed several factors contributing to the truck driver shortage in a previous blog. However, there are other factors listed since 2005 that contribute to this growing issue, as noted by the American Trucking Association (ATA).
An Aging Workforce
As life-long workers close the chapter on their truck driving career and head into retirement, fewer young drivers are entering the workforce to replace them.
Lack of Female Drivers
Trucker demographics show that most drivers are male. Although fewer in numbers, there are female drivers, but there seems to be an industry-wide lack of interest in attracting women to take the position.
Lifestyle Preferences
Workers are beginning to make career choices that lead to a more fulfilling life. As salaries increase for truck drivers, most would prefer to drive less and stay home more.
Related: What Does a Truck Driver Shortage Mean?
President Biden’s Vaccine Mandate
In September 2021, President Biden announced that private sector companies with more than 100 employees will require proof of vaccination or testing. The mandate is still being reviewed at the time this blog was written, with no final ruling yet. It is the Biden Administration’s belief that vaccines are the key to ending the pandemic, and has prioritized convincing vaccine-hesitant workers to get vaccinated.
Will The Mandate Affect the Logistics Industry?
The Biden Administration’s plan has caused a commotion in both the trucking and logistics industries. The pandemic caused major supply chain disruptions that have rippled into various industries – mainly logistics. Delayed freight transportation has made moving products to their destinations difficult, but the big concern is a lack of drivers to transport goods. With an already limited workforce, the vaccine mandate may result in unvaccinated drivers quitting their jobs.
In short, enforcing the mandate could create a safer work environment for truck drivers, but it may also exacerbate the shortage of truckers and create further problems for supply chain logistics. It’s important to note that statistically speaking, very few American workers have actually resigned due to vaccine requirements.
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