National Tank Truck Carriers recently joined 95 other companies, all members of the DRIVE Safe Coalition, and key stakeholders to pen an open letter to the Biden administration outlining potential solutions to the ongoing supply-chain crisis.
The letter touched on the need for a younger-driver pilot program, promotion of careers in transportation and supply-chain businesses, flexibility in vaccine mandates, relief for hours-of-service regulations, and the improvement of the flow of goods through ports.
“We, the undersigned coalition of associations, representing agriculture, foodservice, trucking, warehousing, manufacturing, retail, construction, energy, and other key supply-chain stakeholders, call on the Biden administration to work with our industries to address the immense challenges impacting our nation’s supply chain,” the group said in the letter.
“While we represent different industries, we share the common burden of current supply-chain disruptions, which are driving up prices and leading to a growing shortage of goods in the United States, with the holidays just around the corner.
“As business leaders and proud Americans, we are firmly committed to this country’s economic recovery. We are working to usher in a return to normalcy and striving to help all Americans enjoy a better way of life by providing them with access to the essential products and supplies they need.”
The group then pleaded with the administration for action on five critical issues:
1. Younger-driver pilot program
The group says it’s imperative to attract younger commercial drivers into their industries. “We strongly support a pilot program that will enable employers to create a two-stage, safety-focused apprenticeship program to allow younger, qualified drivers—between the ages of 18 and 20—who satisfy rigorous safety, training, and technology requirements to operate in interstate commerce,” the letter stated. With 49 states and the District of Columbia already allowing drivers under the age of 21 to get their commercial driver’s license and operate intrastate, this pilot program will provide an opportunity to address current and future driver shortages by promoting a career pathway in trucking and developing a professional, qualified, and highly trained emerging transportation workforce.
2. Promotion of careers in transportation and the supply chain
The group says the Biden administration must work with them to highlight the importance of transportation and supply chains jobs, and critical they are in supporting America’s families and communities. “We encourage federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Labor, to collaborate with industry and state and local partners to promote transportation and supply chain occupations, particularly commercial truck driving, as a career of choice. Commercial truck drivers enjoy stability, good benefits, and higher-than-average wages. We can improve the lives of many unemployed and underemployed Americans by giving them opportunities for advancement while boosting the economy,” they argued.
3. Flexibility in vaccine mandates
The group said its industries are committed to the fight against COVID-19, and support the use of vaccines to fight its spread. “However, we are concerned a mandate will cripple an already strained supply chain,” they added. “We estimate companies covered by the mandate could lose 37% of drivers at a time when the nation is already short 80,000 truck drivers. We ask for flexibility for transportation and supply chain essential workers, particularly truck drivers who spend most of their time in their trucks and have minimal contact with colleagues and customers.”
4. Hours-of-service relief
Regulatory flexibilities, especially during emergencies, are vital to supply chain continuity, the group emphasized. “We continue to support last year’s changes to the hours-of-service regulations that give commercial truck drivers greater flexibility while improving safety and efficiency,” they said. “We encourage the administration to retain these changes and consider providing additional flexibilities that may be needed for the timely delivery of essential goods and that make sense from a safety and operational standpoint. Such flexibility is particularly important at ports that are open 24 hours to help alleviate current bottlenecks.”
5. Flow of goods through ports
Finally the group asked the administration to continue to investigate the causes of inefficiencies at the nation’s ports, draw input from a variety of supply-chain stakeholders, and work together to minimize the bottlenecks and operational practices that hamper cargo movement. “Through continued dialogue and information sharing, appropriate action can be taken to ensure resources and equipment are utilized efficiently and effectively to improve performance at our nation’s ports,” they concluded.
Coalition members include:
- Agricultural Retailers Association
- Agriculture Transportation Coalition
- Air Conditioning Contractors of America
- American Apparel & Footwear Association
- American Bakers Association
- American Chemistry Council
- American Coatings Association
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- American Feed Industry Association
- American Forest & Paper Association
- American Foundry Society
- American Frozen Food Institute
- American Lighting Association
- American Supply Association
- American Trucking Associations
- AmericanHort
- Associated Builders and Contractors
- Associated Equipment Distributors
- Associated General Contractors of America
- Auto Care Association
- Brick Industry Association
- Commercial Vehicle Training Association
- Consumer Brands Association
- Convenience Distribution Association
- Cotton Warehouse Association of America
- Council of Fashion Designers of America
- Decorative Hardwoods Association
- Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.
- Energy Marketers Association
- FMI – The Food Industry Association
- Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association
- Forest Resources Association
- Gases and Welding Distributors Association
- Independent Bakers Association
- Independent Electrical Contractors
- Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association
- Institute of Shortening and Edible Oils
- International Association of Plastics Distribution
- International Bottled Water Association
- International Dairy Foods Association
- International Foodservice Distributors Association
- International Franchise Association
- International Warehouse Logistics Association
- Manufacturer & Business Association
- National Aquaculture Association
- National Association of Chemical Distributors
- National Association of Convenience Stores
- National Association of Home Builders
- National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers
- National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors
- National Automatic Merchandising Association
- National Beer Wholesalers Association
- National Cotton Council National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
- National Energy & Fuels Institute
- National Grain and Feed Association
- National Grocers Association
- National Industrial Transportation League
- National Milk Producers Federation
- National Private Truck Council
- National Propane Gas Association
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
- National Restaurant Association
- National Retail Federation
- National Roofing Contractors Association
- National Sorghum Producers
- National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association
- National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc.
- NATSO, Representing America’s Travel Centers and Truck Stops
- NCA – The National Confectioners Association
- Next Generation in Trucking Association
- North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors
- North American Millers’ Association
- North American Renderers Association
- Pet Food Institute
- Pet Industry Distributors Association
- Portland Cement Association
- Power and Communication Contractors Association
- Power Transmission Distributors Association
- PRINTING United Alliance
- Retail Industry Leaders Association
- SIGMA: America’s Leading Fuel Marketers
- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
- SNAC International
- Southwest Council of Agribusiness
- Specialty Soya & Grains Alliance
- The Fertilizer Institute
- Transportation Intermediaries Association
- Travel Goods Association
- Truckload Carriers Association
- Turfgrass Producers International
- United Fresh Produce Association
- USA Rice
- Western Peanut Growers Association
- Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
- Wine Institute