People frustrated with empty shelves at retail outlets and routine materials shortages should not expect the problem to cure itself anytime soon. Logistics experts anticipate the logjam of containers landing at U.S. ports will persist deep into next year. The silver lining for truck drivers and consumers is that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently extended its hours of service exemption. That means CDL professionals will enjoy the opportunity to make plenty of overtime.
“I don’t see substantial mitigation with regard to the congestion that the major container ports are experiencing,” Port of Long Beach executive director Mario Cordero reportedly said. “Many people believe it’s going to continue through the summer of 2022.”
Large U.S. ports reportedly handled an estimated 2.37 million container imports during August alone. That figure puts the country on pace to post the highest volume year dating back to 2002, when 22 million containers arrived at American ports. By year’s end, large ports could see upwards of 25.9 million containers arrive. The spike in imports has effectively outpaced the ability of the freight hauling industry to keep goods and materials flowing smoothly.
The trucking sector enjoys a workforce of approximately 2,029,900 qualified CDL-holders. Growth in the occupation remains only 2 percent, lagging behind the national average for other combined trades. The seemingly exponential growth in imports has strained the workforce to the brink. The CEO of the largest freight broker in North America has gone on the record, indicating shipping delays are here for the foreseeable future.
“I don’t think that’s something that just gets fixed in the next four to five months in accordance with the Lunar New Year,” Bob Biesterfield, chief executive of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, reportedly said.
If there’s any silver lining to containers backing up in America’s ports, it stems from proactive measures the FMCSA and federal government are making to expand the truck driving workforce. The FMCSA exemption that allows truckers to exceed the previous maximum on-duty time behind the wheel has been extended through Nov. 30, 2021. The waiver was first approved during the early months of the pandemic and continues to be re-approved. Many believe increased hours are in the national interest due to ongoing supply chain hiccups such as those at container ports.
Congress has also put the possibility of allowing adults 18-21 years old to haul interstate freight, should the DRIVE-Safe Act survive the massive infrastructure package expected to reach the White House. Industry insiders see this as a critical step to integrating more truckers into the workforce. In the meantime, truckers will have an opportunity to log all the OT they can handle.
Sources: wsj.com, washingtonpost.com
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