Like any other industry, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the trucking industry in almost every country around the world, and Canada is no exception. In the beginning, everything seemed stagnant. There seemed to be no way out. It was like a tight slap on the face of humanity. Canada, as a country, has huge opportunities in the trucking business. This is the reason why it attracts immigrants all around the world. However, there has always been a gap between the vacancies and the actual people willing to do that job. People have perceived trucking as a hard thing to do. The vacancy to available people ratio has always seen a rise in the past years. However, everything changed after the pandemic hit the country.
Impact of the pandemic on the economy
The pandemic brought chaos and layoffs. Everything stopped for a while and everyone was forced to seek shelter at their homes, without any outing for months. Over a million people lost their jobs immediately as a result of the pandemic. Everyone was having a hard time and people lost hope. A few industries grew well and made more revenue than they would have without the pandemic. However, one cannot ignore the fact that unlike most jobs, a few jobs need physical human interaction and trucking is one of them. When everyone was caught up in their homes, people still needed essential goods from the stores. However, truck drivers were also prone to infection while delivering essential goods like food, beverage, home essentials, etc. although truck drivers were making steady money even during the pandemic, it is still a risky thing for them to do. They had limited resources, limited rest houses, and food stations to eat from. At such a time, brave truck drivers kept on fulfilling the stock while everyone was safe and sound at home.
How truck drivers reacted to the situation?
There are many trucking businesses around the country that were affected due to the driver shortage in the pandemic. This left even more vacancies for truck drivers. To bridge this gap and to maintain the flow of goods from one place to another, the government is trying to attract newbies with wage incentives, immigration facilities, safety training.
Wage incentive
To attract new as well as old drivers, the government has been trying to increase their wages and support them as much as it can.
Immigration facility
For people living in other countries who wish to work in Canada, the government has eased the immigration process and made it hassle-free and smooth.
Safety training
To train the drivers for harsh conditions, the government and different companies offer safety training to prevent mishappenings.
Conclusion
The pandemic has certainly impacted the trucking business. Now the things are coming back on track. Like any other industry, the trucking industry is also looking at the bright side. With a few changes and better incentives, the trucking business will regain the labor deficit in the coming years. Proper training and safety protocols will act as a cherry on top.
