OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:08 PM PT — Friday, April 17, 2020
Truck drivers are in demand now more than ever. However, experts have
said getting new drivers behind the wheel has been challenging due to
coronavirus shut downs.Recent reports showed the hiring process for one of the most essential jobs during the pandemic has been backlogged, due to many DMVs shutting down. According to one industry expert, this has stopped eager new hires from providing relief to the industry, which is experiencing an extreme shortage in workers.
“We can train people, but then we
couldn’t get people their licenses. That’s very problematic because you
need a commercial learner’s permit to even operate on public roads.
Truck drivers or bus drivers aren’t produced over night, it does take a
number of weeks, or even months, to get them trained.” – Don Lefeve, CEO of the Commercial Vehicle Association
While the demand for trucks and delivery services has remained steady
over the years, the appeal of becoming a truck driver has declined
drastically. This trend left the industry with a loss of hundreds of
thousands of workers prior to the pandemic.“Most Americans don’t think too much about truck drivers until times of crisis,” said Lefeve. “These men and women are doing just heroic work, each and every day.”
If the hiring process doesn’t pick up, industry professionals are worried that it could result in yet another blow to the already hard hit economy.
Earlier this week, President Trump recognized truck drivers for keeping the economy moving.
“At a time of widespread shut downs,
truck drivers form the lifeblood of our economy. For days and sometimes
weeks, truck drivers leave their homes and deliver supplies that
American families need and count on during this national crisis. At all
other times, they’re always there.” – Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States
The president went on to call truckers the “foot soldiers” in the war against the virus.“Their routes connect every farm, hospital, manufacturer, business and community in the country,” he stated. “In the war against the virus, American truckers are the foot soldiers who are really carrying us to victory, they’ve done an incredible job.”
Moving forward, legislation is in the works to bring transportation companies relief by way of a $250 billion appropriation, all in an effort to keep trucks and the economy moving.
