Increased Demand Post-COVID-19 Threatens Trucker Shortage
According to the American Trucking Associations, the labor shortage in the U.S. trucking industry (in terms of unfilled positions) is roughly 60,000 drivers.
As recently as late April, 27 states had closed their departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) due to COVID-19 concerns. While most states have now reopened DMV offices to some degree, staff shortages, social distancing, and limited hours continue to place obstacles in the path of newly trained truck drivers seeking to obtain a license. As a result, experts estimate that in 2020, the U.S. will produce 40% fewer new truckers than normal.(1) “The American economy depends on the trucking industry,” says John Kearney, CEO of Advanced Training Systems (ATS), a leading designer and manufacturer of virtual simulators for driver training, among other applications. “The danger lies in the future when demand picks up post-COVID while there is a serious lack of new drivers to meet them.”
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Source: http://www.prweb.com.
