It may be worthwhile for truckers to consider trading in California smog for Florida sunshine as opportunities increase on the East Coast.
The supply chain bottlenecks at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach continue to frustrate consumers and truck drivers alike. Complaints about excessive driver wait times and the AB5 law that effectively bans owner-operators has many seeking friendlier working conditions. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has made it abundantly clear the Sunshine States is ready to move more cargo and remain open arms to truckers.
“Our ports operate 24/7. I mean, that should be happening anyway. We in Florida have the ability to help alleviate these logjams and help to ameliorate the problems with the supply chain,” Gov. DeSantis reportedly said. “We’re able to accommodate these ships without back-ups, our seaports are used to operating around the clock, they’re used to moving cargo for American families, farmers, and businesses, and we think that this is a great solution given our capacity for some of the problems you see across the country.”
Logistics experts attribute the West Coast logjams to an over-reliance on cheap Chinese and Asian products that have overwhelmed freight hauling operations and warehouse capacity in Southern California. Although rerouting cargo ships on a 7-day trek through the Panama Canal to offload at one of Florida’s Gulf or Atlantic ports would prove costly, delays and onerous government fines on containers could make the logistic change worthwhile.
“It shows a general weakness that needs to be addressed because this is not the last time this issue is going to be front and center,” Port Everglades director and Florida Ports chairman Jonathan Daniels reportedly said. “They’re talking about the backlog not being cleared until sometime, maybe at the end of the first quarter, the beginning of the second quarter of next year.”
That being said, companies are reportedly offering seasoned truck drivers increasingly high salaries and sign-on bonuses. Sysco wholesale restaurant distributor is reportedly offering qualified CDL holders annual wages of up to $110,000 and $15,000 in bonuses to haul loads in Florida. The multinational corporation operates more than 330 distribution centers in over 90 countries and ranks among the largest food distributors with upwards of 600,000 customers and approximately 70,000 employees.
What Sysco is doing to pull truck drivers into the Florida market is just the tip of the spear. Relocating to the Sunshine State and establishing a permanent residence allows hard-working men and women to reduce their tax liability. Floridians do not pay state income taxes, and that fact adds value to the high salaries and bonuses being offered by large freight outfits. In addition, the mobility of a career as an OTR trucker gives drivers the freedom to work anywhere. Sunny Florida has the need, high salaries and relatively low taxes.
Sources: foxnews.com, stateofflorida.com
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