Going into 2020, the nation was already struggling with a truck driver shortage spurred on by the wave of retiring Baby Boomer drivers, new rules concerning the number of hours an individual can drive without taking a break, and new regulations related to drug-testing and other activities.
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the U.S. in March of 2020, parts of the nation shut down in an effort to stem the outbreak’s spread. Many overseas manufacturing centers took a similar stance. Later, as the world began to reopen, pent-up demand quickly led to supply chain shortages that would endure well into 2021 (and quite possibly, beyond). As transportation ramped back up to meet demand, carriers and fleet owners found themselves short on at least one critical asset: truck drivers.
