Biden praised the significance of the U.S trucking business on Monday, particularly in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, as the government works to increase the number of truck drivers by recruiting more veterans and women.
The White House praised the increased hiring of truck drivers and the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses.
In recent months, 100 large firms have started apprentice programs to assist in the training of new drivers, according to the report.
Joe noted that while U.S. agencies and businesses are doing more to attract female drivers, he believes that more can be done to boost trucking careers.
“so we can draw more Americans to work jobs with increased wages, reduced wait times and improved safety and so much more,” Biden said.
President Joe Biden was joined by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in laying out plans to address long-standing flaws in the trucking sector originating from labor shortages.
These steps are part of a year-long effort to strengthen US supply networks in the face of climate change and geopolitical tensions, ensuring that China and other countries cannot weaponize goods supplies.
After severe shortages of personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, during the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a shortfall of semiconductors, which made automobiles more expensive and helped push inflation to 40-year highs, Biden has since concentrated on reconstructing U.S. supply chains.
Speaking in front of three huge trucks on the White House grounds, Biden emphasized that truckers carry almost 70% of all commodities in the US.
He also pointed out that, in inflation-adjusted dollars, average trucker salaries had fallen about 30% since 1978.
“In this iconic American industry it’s getting harder and harder to raise a family with dignity and pride.” Biden remarked.
According to White House data, some carriers must replace 90% of their personnel each year. “It’s no surprise that so many drivers left their jobs,” Biden stated.
According to the American Trucking Associations, since the start of 2019, weekly driver wages for long-haul truckload drivers have increased by more than 25%.
The initiative to increase the number of truck drivers, which began in 2021, has resulted in increased employment, with more commercial driver licenses available in the first two months of this year than in the same period last year, according to the report.
SOURCE: REUTERS
