In 2017, drivers would find it impossible to imagine some of the issues facing the trucking industry today. Back then, ELD mandates were the talk of the industry, and many drivers lobbied for changes to the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations that keep strict limits on the time spent driving.
Fast forward five years, and the entire planet is still contending with a global pandemic, and debates rage on about how much the virus should or does affect daily life. Meanwhile, many in logistics claim that truck drivers themselves are in short supply.
What do we at Class A Drivers expect to be the top issues for 2022? Here’s our list of the 3 biggest topics for the upcoming new year. It’ll be here before you know it.
Reinforcing the Supply Chain
If Americans don’t get their holiday supplies at the end of 2021, expect a huge push for regulators to secure the supply chain and ensure less disruptions.
Public pressure is one of the strongest forces for change. If the country feels that supply chain disruptions are causing their deliveries or even essentials like groceries to be delayed, then we may see mass industry or even government action.
This could affect drivers with a loosening of HOS restrictions, port regulations, or a larger push to employ more drivers or dock workers. As the coronavirus hopefully subsides or the country learns to live with it, we also hope to see compromises on issues such as vaccine mandates and other regulations, which can be beneficial to truck drivers.
Rising Truck Driver Wages and Bonuses
While many in the trucking industry use the term “truck driver shortage,” there is large pushback against that term. For many potential drivers, the problem isn’t a lack of willingness to work, it’s that the work isn’t worth the pay.
This past year, trucking companies have responded in kind. We’ve seen large wage increases, for both solo and team drivers, and enormous sign-on bonuses to attract more drivers to get behind the steering wheel.
Unfortunately some companies have not lived up to their promises with strings attached to the various bonuses offered. So if trucking companies are serious about attracting and retaining drivers in 2022, these wage increases will have to continue and the bonuses must be real.
The Rise of Electric Trucks
One pleasant surprise at the end of 2021 is the announcement of the passage of the infrastructure bill. While US presidents from Obama to Trump have promised and failed to deliver on infrastructure, the country finally got a bi-partisan deal with many benefits for truck drivers.
Improved bridges and roads are at the top of any driver’s list, but another line item on the infrastructure bill is a large investment in electric charging stations all across the country. At Class A Drivers, we believe these stations will coincide with more announcements from companies promoting electric semi-trucks capable of hauling significant tonnage with less charge time.
In 2021, truck drivers were a major part of saving California from devastating wildfires, and they have also been at the forefront of rescue efforts from hurricanes. Public pressure due to increasingly common extreme weather events may also push companies and governments to invest in electric technology to mitigate the results of climate change.
Truck drivers may not find themselves behind the wheel of an electric tractor-trailer in 2022, but nothing will stop the push of technology. Hopefully this means a smoother and better ride for this country’s drivers.