Is There Another Driver Shortage Coming?
In April 2020, 88,000 jobs in the trucking industry were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic – accounting for six percent of the entire workforce.
But even as the number of unemployed drivers continues to increase, there are some who believe that the industry could be facing a driver shortage once the economy starts to recover.
The reason, is because closures among CDL training schools and state driver licensing agencies are making it challenging for anyone pursuing a career in trucking to get behind the wheel – either they can’t get the training they need, or they can’t get licensed. This has created a virtual halt on newly licensed commercial vehicle drivers.
Industry experts believe this could lead to 40 percent fewer new CDL drivers in 2020 compared to normal years.
Continue reading here for the Government's response