Shortage seen as factor in supply chain woes.
A number of new actions are being taken by the White House Thursday that are aimed at addressing supply chain bottlenecks that plague the nation.
“A strong, stable, and safe trucking workforce that offers good-paying jobs to millions of truck drivers is a critical lifeblood of our economy,” White House officials stated. “But outdated infrastructure, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a historic volume of goods moving through our economy have strained capacity across the supply chain, including in trucking.”
They are focusing on four areas: Helping states lower barriers to obtaining commercial drivers’ licenses; a “90-day challenge” to expand registered truck driver apprenticeship program; launching outreach and recruitment programs aimed at veterans (already a core demographic of the truck-driving workforce); and launching the “Driving Good Jobs” joint initiative at the Departments of Labor and Transportation.
According to administration estimates, roughly 72% of all commercial goods are transported by truck drivers. They are asking industry, labor, and all levels of government to partner to address the trucking workforce challenges.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the president and his advisors as they promote plans to recruit more truck drivers and expand the workforce.
- For manufacturers and suppliers who have goods ready to ship out and a shortage of workers to haul them—short or long hauls.
- For U.S. officials in the Departments of Labor and Transportation as they address other issues that relate to the challenges in the supply chain.
Sources: Washington Examiner, The White House, Roll Call
