Agricultural Sector to be Hard Hit by Truck Driver Shortage

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is warning that current supply chain problems could worsen as government vaccination mandates push some drivers out of the industry.

By the time the Canadian government’s planned cross-border vaccination mandate takes effect in the New Year, up to 30,000 Canadian truck drivers could exit the supply chain, the CTA said in a statement over the weekend. Further, while all sectors of the economy will be affected, companies located in rural/agricultural sectors are “likely to feel the biggest impact,” it added.

With up to 20% of drivers in certain sectors and regions leaving the industry, some trucking companies will have no choice but to prioritize customers based on size, frequency of shipping, driver treatment, and difficulty of freight handling, the CTA said.

In addition to already high and rising costs, some farmers are also worried about the availability of certain inputs, including fertilizer, because of supply chain woes.

The Canadian government last month announced it will require truck drivers – both Americans and Canadians – to be double vaccinated by Jan. 15 when crossing into Canada. Meanwhile, the US government has introduced rules requiring truck drivers at companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

According to the CTA, the supply chain is already short 18,000 truck drivers, and potentially losing more drivers to the vaccination mandate will further muddle an already compromised supply chain. Through most of the pandemic, truckers crossed the border regularly because they were considered essential workers.

“The current challenges faced by the supply chain, which include an acute and growing truck driver shortage, will worsen significantly if the Government of Canada moves ahead to mandate a vaccine policy for the trucking industry in early 2022,” the CTA said.

CTA is calling on Ottawa, Washington, and all members of the supply chain to meet and discuss the impacts of such implementing these mandates in early 2022 and consider a more suitable policy approach and timeline to protect the health and welfare of the Canadian supply chains and the economy.