Supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic highlighted the need for more truck drivers in the United States. According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. is short about 80,000 truck drivers. To improve the situation, the Biden administration wants to boost registered apprenticeships, take a closer look at truck leasing rates, explore ways to increase truck driver pay, safety and make improvements to infrastructure. “These actions will help us recruit more drivers and, just as importantly, retain them to help keep down shipping delays and reign in the price of goods at a time when we’re fighting inflation with everything we’ve got,” says Buttigieg. The Biden administration is also trying to make the job appeal to more veterans, women and drivers of color. Read more about the plan.
