TCA Issues Statement on Biden Vaccination Plan

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia: 

As you are aware, President Biden recently announced his vaccination plan to the nation in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. While the rules and procedures regarding this plan remain in development, this mandate could have wide-reaching implications for our industry and the nation as a whole. The plan will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or to require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce at least one negative result per week prior to coming to work.

Trucking has often been referred to as the backbone of the U.S. economy, with the truckload segment as its heartbeat. As an industry, we now face an unprecedented need for professional truck drivers to haul our nation’s inventory at a time when the shortage of commercial vehicle operators has reached new heights. We have raced to the frontlines to supply a nation during this global pandemic, have been deemed essential by a government that truly needs us, and have demonstrated an industry-wide passion to restock the country’s everyday necessities.

Obviously, the logistics of vaccinating an army of professional truck drivers operating in an irregular operating environment remains a strong concern. A larger fear is that a rule requiring a vaccine or weekly test could lead to a massive driver exodus from this great industry. Already faced with a shrinking pool of drivers from COVID-19 itself, we are all confronted with the pervasive challenge of locating qualified drivers to deliver our nation’s freight safely, effectively, and efficiently.

As chairman of your association, I urge you to contact your Senators and Representatives to explain the ramifications this plan could potentially have on our industry. We have always said that there is no better advocate for our segment of the industry than our members themselves. I encourage each of you to reach out to those that govern and tell your story so that we can effectively educate federal decision makers on this concerning issue.

If you have any questions or would like some assistance communicating with any of your elected representatives, please feel free to contact the TCA Government Affairs staff who remain committed to assisting you.