What’s been happening in the trucking industry? Let’s take a look. 

Rising Gas Prices Affect the Trucking Industry 

On the minds of many Americans in March of 2022 is the rising gas prices at the pump. This not only affects people driving to work or driving to pick up their kids from school, but it also affects the truck driver and the companies transporting goods cross-country who depend on diesel fuel. As the cost of transporting these goods rises, so does the price of goods. Eventually, that means the price hikes are passed on to the consumer. 

Already, trucking companies have struggled because of staff shortages and clogged supply lines. Many trucking companies had to increase wages for truck drivers to attract more drivers as the industry suffered because of the pandemic. The rise in gas prices only makes things more difficult for these drivers and these companies. In March of 2022, many truck drivers are seeing more than $4 dollars per gallon. 

Because of recent developments in Russia and Ukraine, there is no clear end in sight for these spikes in gas prices. The price for crude oil surged above $100 a barrel in February of 2022, just as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Some truck drivers are describing being painstakingly strategic about where they stop for gas, avoiding some truck stops to save even 40 cents per gallon. 

The Mexican Avocado Ban of 2022 

Avocados are a big deal in the U.S., especially during Super Bowl weekend. This sports event is considered one of the most popular days for avocados, so the recent news about the avocado ban caught people’s attention. Cross-border truckers transferred thousands of avocados every year across the U.S. Mexico border. News of the ban had many avocado enthusiasts a little concerned about just how much avocado toast would be available this spring. The United States imports a lot of avocados every year. In 2021, the U.S imported $3.0 billion avocados with $2.8 billion of that coming from Mexico. The industry is a 3 billion dollar industry for Mexico, more specifically for the state of Michoacan. 

The harvest for avocados is from January through March and U.S. production runs from April to September. This is a popular season for avocados. 

Why were avocados from Mexico banned?

The ban came after the safety of one U.S. inspector was compromised. According to USA Today, the inspector received a threat against him and his family. The area of Michoacan is known for its cartel violence. The threat allegedly came after the inspector failed to certify a shipment and verify its integrity and safety. This apparently caused a stir. Unfortunately, in this area of Mexico, many of the growers are often subject to the whims of some of the cartels. 

The U.S. only buys avocados from Michoacan state because it is the only state that is U.S certified as pest-free. The avocado industry in Mexico revolves around the state, as it produces 5.5 billion pounds of this tasty fruit every year. About 80% of that production is exported to the U.S. Frequent reports showed that some packers in Mexico were trying to pass off avocados that were not from Michoacan as coming from the state. 

Continued Covid Issues and Restrictions 

The vaccine mandates that prohibit unvaccinated truckers from crossing the U.S-Mexico border have continued to strain the driver market in the area. On January 22, 2022, the U.S placed vaccine requirements on all non-U.S individuals entering the country at the land ports of entry. Companies working in the border area have noticed an effect of these covid restrictions in an already strained sector.

The shortage of drivers, coupled with those refusing the vaccine or others out on sick leave, the industry has had to learn to improvise and adjust in real-time. Mexico does not currently have vaccine mandates to enter or leave their country. 

Need to Work with a Reliable Trucking Compliance Company? Contact Us Today. 

Here at Border Trucking Compliance, we work in the frontlines of some of the changing issues with the trucking industry. There’s been a lot going on in the industry for the past two years: from vaccine mandates to protests, to supply chain clogs. Throughout all this, the industry has pushed through, doing its part to keep the country running. We help companies ensure they are in compliance with industry regulations. 

Need more information? Call Border Trucking Compliance today. 

Because many truck drivers cross borders as part of their jobs—whether it’s to Mexico or Canada— the policies enacted in other countries in relation to covid 19 have an impact on the imports and exports moving across nations and on the hard-working folks that move those goods. 

How is the trucking industry dealing with these policy changes and cross-border issues? 

Let’s begin with domestic policy. 

The American Trucking Association’s Position on Vaccine Mandates 

There is a lot of debate in the country right now regarding federal mandates of the covid vaccine. The American Trucking Association took a clear position in the vaccine mandate debate. The Association has made it clear that they support the vaccines and encourage them but have serious concerns about the unintended consequences of a federal mandate. 

The Association explains how truck drivers have been working the frontlines since the beginning of the pandemic. From the uncertain months in the Spring of 2020 through the rest of the tumultuous year and into 2021, truck drivers delivered medical supplies, PPE, food, water gasoline, and vaccines to their destination across the nation. Their priority, as they state on their website, is to continue working through any and all conditions to ensure that the U.S. population has what they need. 

The Association compiled internal data that showed that applying a vaccine mandate across the board would threaten the industry more than help it. Their data suggest that enforcing a mandate would cause a spike in driver turnover, attrition, or resentment and would risk losing about 37% of the current driving workforce. 

The American Trucking Association’s position was supported by various other state trucking associations including Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. They have taken their position to court in a lawsuit against the Biden administration. 

Their reasoning behind their position include:

• The overwhelming amount of their workday that drivers spend alone in their cab.
• Time not spent indoors inside the truck cab is predominantly spent outdoors in lots, drop-off zones, etc.
• Truck drivers’ exceptional records of following safety protocols throughout the early days of the pandemic. Their data showed that the infection rate was 8.7%.

Questions of Cross-Border Crossings for Truck Drivers 

In addition to driving across state lines and often traversing multiple states, truck drivers are often crossing borders into our Southern and Northern neighbors. Similarly, truck drivers of those countries often cross over into the United States. This fact has caused serious challenges to the industry as country policies differ. 

Questions of Cross-Border Trucking Into Canada 

Dominating the news at the moment is the issues happening with Canada and their stringent vaccine and quarantine requirements. Reuters reported on January 10, 2022, that Canadian Prime Minister resisted pressures to drop the mandates for cross-border truckers. Critics of this mandate have made it clear to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that imposing the mandate on all international drivers will increase driver and supply chain shortages, thereby creating a lack of goods and driving up prices of incoming goods from the United States. 

According to the article, truckers entering Canada from the United States will have to show proof of vaccination starting on January 15th. That policy, according to the Canadian Trucking Alliance, could force up to 16,000 drivers (10%) to quit their jobs and get off the road. 

This policy is one of the first that is having reverberations across country lines. For the previous 20 months or so, truck drivers had been exempt from such policies because they were considered essential workers. 

Newsweek reported that the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada’s internal polling data suggests that 56% of their drivers will not get vaccinated in response to this mandate. The industry experts are waiting to see what will happen as the policies start to go into effect the second week of January. According to some estimates, $511 billion of goods traded between the U.S. and Canada every year are transported by road. So the effects of the policies have a lot on the line. 

Questions of Cross-Border Trucking From and Into Mexico 

When it comes to truck drivers coming in from Mexico, the United States has adopted a policy of ensuring those drivers are vaccinated against covid. This policy was articulated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and it applies to non-U.S citizen travelers coming into the U.S. for essential and non-essential travel. 

Mexico’s vaccine policy is no different. The Mexican authorities also require U.S. truck drivers going into Mexico to be vaccinated. 

Trucking Compliance Questions? Go With a Trusted Company 

While we do not make policy here at Border Trucking Compliance, we can help truck companies ensure compliance with trucking regulations as set by the USDoT and TxDot. Whether it’s title and registration or driver testing, we can help. The trucking industry is dynamic and adapts quickly to the changing demands of the modern world. We want to help you do it right!

When it comes to compliance, go with a trucking company you trust. Want to learn more about what we do and how we help truck drivers and truck companies meet regulations? Call Border Trucking Compliance today.