Canadians could feel supply chain stress similar to the U.S. and U.K. as the truck driver shortage grows.
“If there are not enough trucks to deliver the goods that people want to buy, you’re going to find empty shelves, and you’re going to find things stocked out,” Canadian National Chair of Strategic Marketing David Soberman reportedly said. “In order for us to keep our supply chains in equilibrium the number of truck drivers that are working will need to increase by more than 10 percent over the next few years.”
A recent report by Trucking HR indicates Canada was down 18,000 truckers during the second quarter of 2021. Although some industry insiders predict the workforce shortage could ease in 2022, these vacancies already have companies engaged in proactive recruitment. That’s largely because data points to Canada needing another 55,000 truckers in 2023.
“Our labor shortages impact critical sectors of the Canadian economy, and as we have seen in other parts of the world, a strong trucking and logistics sector is needed to support supply chain stability.” Trucking HR Canada CEO Angela Splinter reportedly stated. “Failure to better address the acute shortage of truck drivers has the potential to stifle and delay the country’s economic recovery.”
The U.K. reportedly needs to add upwards of 100,000 “lorry” drivers to meet rising consumer demand delivers. That figure escalated from 60,000 before the pandemic. Now, business owners across the Atlantic struggle to acquire goods and materials to operate.
“While the causes of the U.K. driver shortage are nuanced and context-specific, the ‘perfect storm’ represented by the crisis raises important questions about the driver shortage in Canada,” the Trucking HR report states. “In Canada, labor shortages in trucking and logistics are an ongoing and growing concern.”
A similar phenomenon occurred in the U.S., with a workforce shortfall rising from 61,500 to more than 80,000 during the same period. Trucking industry experts anticipate the U.S. may need more than 160,000 CDL professionals by 2030. If these estimates and trends prove accurate, Canada could follow suit with significant supply chain disruptions as well. That’s why trucking industry advocates are pressuring the Canadian government to take prompt measures.
“This is a national issue and potentially becoming a national crisis. The trucking industry has very limited access to training dollars, and that’s our message to Ottawa, let’s work together to get more access for young Canadians or Canadians period who want to enter the trucking industry to help them pay for their licensing,” Canadian Trucking Alliance president Stephen Laskowski reportedly said.
Securing a CDL in Canada typically costs upwards of $15,000, depending on the region. The Canadian Trucking Alliance plans to roll out a 3-year recruitment program. The goal is to attract upstart truck drivers before the shortage reaches critical mass.
Sources: globalnews.ca, cbc.ca
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