A nationwide truck driver shortage is causing headaches for several industries, including the beer industry.
“We have this problem that is bigger than the pandemic, and it’s not exclusive to the beer industry,” Craig Purser, president and CEO of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), told Brewbound.
The U.S. pool of truck drivers with commercial drivers licenses (CDL) is 50,000-60,000 workers short of where it should be, Purser said, adding that the problem is an “ongoing issue as it relates to workforce development.”
A lack of truck drivers is among several supply chain challenges caused by major shifts in consumer purchasing behavior brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic now facing beer makers. The closure and restriction of the on-premise channel spurred increased at-home consumption, which caused a years-long shortage of aluminum cans. The increased reliance on online shopping and home delivery has led to scarcity and price increases in paper and cardboard packaging materials.
To work around the driver shortage, one NBWA member converted 70% of its fleet to 26-foot box trucks, which don’t require a CDL to drive, the NBWA shared in an email to members. Each truck holds 13 beer pallets and an electric pallet jack and only requires one employee to operate.
“They are using the box trucks for deliveries to all independent and smaller chain convenience accounts while utilizing larger trucks to deliver to grocery and large liquor stores,” the NBWA wrote.
In an email to members, the NBWA shared recruitment advice from members, including:
- “Pay each employee a $100 bonus every Friday if they’ve shown up to work all five days that week.
- For specific employees who work from Memorial Day to Labor Day, pay an additional $2 per hour to be paid in full the week after Labor Day. This is both a recruiting and retention tool.
- Offer a signing bonus for merchandiser and warehouse positions.
- Utilizing several tools: employee referral incentives, hiring bonuses, retention bonuses and overtime.”
To ameliorate the shortage of CDL drivers, a pair of bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress that would lower the federal age for driving goods across state lines from 21 to 18. The Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy (DRIVE-Safe) Act was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) and in the House by Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN).
“Today, 18-year-olds can drive more than 200 miles from New Albany to Gary and back, but they aren’t allowed to drive two miles from New Albany to Louisville,” Young said in a press release about the bill. “The DRIVE-Safe Act will eliminate this ridiculous regulation and in doing so address the driver shortage while providing new career opportunities for young Hoosiers.”
Nearly all states and Washington, D.C., allow 18-year-olds obtain CDLs, but their routes must be limited to intrastate commerce. The DRIVE-Safe act would establish a two-part apprentice program for younger drivers to follow before they can begin interstate drives.
The first portion would consist of a 120-hour probationary period that must include at least 80 hours of driving time in a commercial vehicle. During the probationary period, employers would be required to ensure that apprentices are competent in:
- “Interstate, city traffic, rural two-lane, and evening driving;
- Safety awareness;
- Speed and space management;
- Lane control;
- Mirror scanning;
- Right and left turns;
- And logging and complying with rules relating to hours of service.”
Following the successful completion of the 120-hour probationary period, apprentices would have to undergo a 280-hour probationary period with at least 160 hours of drive time. In the second period, apprentices would work to master the following skills:
- “Backing and maneuvering in close quarters;
- Pre-trip inspections;
- Fueling procedures;
- Weighing loads, weight distribution and sliding tandems;
- Coupling and uncoupling procedures;
- And trip planning, truck routes, map reading, navigation, and permits.”
“We think increasing the pool of qualified drivers through training is better for everyone because this is an issue that’s not going to go away,” Purser said.
In the House, the DRIVE-Safe Act was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit on March 11; it has 78 co-sponsors, 71 Republicans and 7 Democrats. The Senate version of the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; it has 23 co-sponsors — 23 Republicans, three Democrats and one independent.