Want to see freight rates go down with a driver shortage? good luck..
The industry has always battled driver shortages, but this one is serious especially if a vaccine mandate is enforced.
With the increased supply chain pressure, we could see governments stepping in to reduce barriers for transport companies to operate.
If there is one thing a shipper can do to help the cause, it's to make sure they load and unload trucks at facilities as soon as humanly possible. Waiting times are killing this industry. Driver logbooks are federally monitored, and we could possibly see the government stepping in around enforcement issues due to productivity.
The US trucking industry needs at least 80,000 drivers – a number that could double by 2030 (continue reading here)