The trucking industry was having difficulties before the global pandemic. It was getting harder and harder to find qualified drivers who weren’t on drugs and wanted to actually work. A lot of older drivers were retiring and the young ones weren’t rushing to join the industry to replace them. Furthermore, the need for more trucks and more drivers continues to grow as the general population shifts to e-commerce online shopping, which requires quick deliveries of goods.
The Strengthening Supply Chains Through Truck Driver Incentives Act
The pandemic definitely messed with a lot of industries, including the trucking industry. That said, lawmakers are trying to do something to address the pandemic-related shortage of drivers.
Look this up: “The Strengthening Supply Chains Through Truck Driver Incentives Act.” The bill’s sponsors, Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin) and Abigail Spanberger (D- Virginia), noticed that fewer certified drivers leads to more expensive shipping costs as well as delays in receiving goods. This is not a good situation for the U.S. to be in, so these lawmakers propose establishing a two-year refundable tax credit of up to $7,500 for truck drivers with a valid Class A commercial driver’s license who drive at least 1,900 hours in a year. Meanwhile, it would offer a two-year refundable tax credit of $10,000 for new drivers or people in a registered trucking apprenticeship, and credit would also be available to those new commercial drivers who didn’t drive the year prior or did not drive for 1,420 hours in the current year. The aim? To give an incentive to drivers, both new and old, to work and keep working in the trucking industry at a time when they’re very much needed.
Will the proposed bill pass in Congress? We shall see. Meanwhile, the trucking industry is doing what it can to attract new drivers. It has seen an influx of teachers and service workers in recent times. The more workers the trucking industry has, the better it’ll be. More workers also helps stem shipping delays. Supply chains rely on truckers– without them, the economy tanks