Your explanation doesn’t go far enough.. what is the root cause?
Did half of truck drivers die?
Or did half of them get sick for two weeks throughout the past 17 months and stay home? People get sick all the time for 10 days to two weeks.
Did the trucking companies crush half their trucks and trailers?
Did all the Sikh truck drivers go back to India?
Did all the truckers sit on their asses due to welfare payments?
Did the end of NAFTA curtail Mexican trucks and truckers?
Did half of refineries shut down and there was no diesel fuel to be had?
I have yet to hear a satisfying and logical explanation of what is going on and what caused it.
A lot of truck drivers did not die but a lot of them retired. Part of the problem with an aging population. Lots of people retire every day now.
There are still a lot of open truck driver jobs. Not just anyone can be a truck driver. It takes time and training to mange a big rig safely
Is there a truck driver shortage in the United States?
In 2019, the U.S. was already short 60,000 drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations. That number is anticipated to swell to 100,000 by 2023, according to Bob Costello, the group’s chief economist.Aug 2, 2021
Any truck drivers on this thread ?
It would take a hugh and series dissertation to answer all your questions in the detail you apparently are expecting. Here are some of the short answers. No half of the truckers didn’t die but many of them retired. In the early 2000’s the bucks to BS ratio went negative on truck driving jobs. Many of the foreign drivers cannot pass background checks to drive for national companies, mostly because of regulations insurance companies have dictated to the companies. Many trucks and trailers were scrapped because of tightened safety and environmental emissions standards. Lastly delivering flammable liquids requires highly trained and qualified operator. The truck driver shortage was getting bad before the plandemic happen and continued to get worse as it played out.
Mixed into this mess. Are other factors such as large companies stopped or slowed down massive warehouses full parts and materials and switch to just-in-time deliveries.