Mexico Continues To Struggle With Truck Driver Shortage
man driving a truck
The global supply chain and worker shortages continue to cause ripple effects throughout the economy. The pandemic effects are still causing shortages and delays in all aspects of employment, trade, and shipping. The trucking industry has experienced numerous challenges in so many different countries. In Mexico the pandemic is causing an increasing shortage of truck drivers. Experts believe this shortage is due to multiple reasons occurring at once. Retention rates of truck drivers is low, the majority of truckers in Mexico are reaching retirement age, and Covid continues to make working conditions extremely challenging. Gerardo Alanis Barrios who is the CEO of Cold Chain Solutions out of Laredo Texas spoke to Freight Waves recently about opinions on the current issues. “There is a driver crunch. A lot of drivers that were over the age of 50 or 60, they got off their trucks during the pandemic because their families were worried about them,” said Alanis. “A lot of drivers decided just to rest or at least wait until the pandemic has played out because these drivers are very exposed. They go to a truck stop, and they have to shower with a lot of other drivers, they go to lunch in truck stops, touch the gas pumps that everybody else touches,” stated Alanis.”
Alanis and his family are a part of Grupo Alanis, a group of companies operating throughout Laredo and Mexico. They specialize in various areas of transport, logistics, drayage, customs, and cold storage. The CDC is currently reporting Mexico at a Level 3 High Level of COVID infection outbreak. There have been 4,779,296 cases of COVID in Mexico, which includes 304,308 deaths, with 3,853,156 having recovered from the illness.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU), based in Geneva, released predictions based on a survey taken in early 2021 that said Mexico’s truck driver shortage would increase by 18% by the end of the year. With vaccine mandates coming into effect, this number could increase significantly. As of Saturday, January 22, 2022, The U.S. The Department of Homeland Security requires all non-U.S. individuals entering the US from Mexico to show proof of vaccination. Though the vaccines do not keep vaccinated people from spreading the virus the mandate includes truckers from Canada as well as those traveling through land ports and by ferries.
Truckers in Canada have formed a “Freedom Convoy” of truckers who have protested since the Biden-Harris mandate. A GoFundMe has also been raised where people donated over 1 million dollars to help support the truckers during this time. There are many mixed opinions about this mandate and the actions of the Ottawa truckers’ protest. There have been no known situations in Mexico of similar activity yet.
How Can Trifecta Help You?
Many experts imagine the current events will only increase delays and supply chain issues. There is no better time than now to have a team of professional logistic operators in your corner. Your business can continue to be successful through all the ups and downs of the industry with the right logistics model. We have established relationships with trusted carriers throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. We serve as your one-stop shop for all your management, shipping, and transport needs. Our clients have 24/7 access to GTZShip so they can keep a real-time tracker on their shipments at any time of day. We handle all the communication with various carriers to find the best solution for your unique shipments.
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Whether you are a freight shipping company or operate an intermodal rail freight we are the professionals who can take your logistics to the next level. Our team of experts does all the hard work for you to make sure your shipments make it to the destination on time. We offer services tailored to your specific needs and work with you on your time. We love helping our clients take their businesses to new heights. Call us today to set up a consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
