Gasoline shortages are expected in the U.S. this summer, according to industry experts, because of a shortage of drivers to transport the fuel to gas stations.
According to CNN, the industry group National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC) estimates that nearly 20% to 25% of tanker trucks are not being used right now due to a lack of trained drivers. The figure was just 10% a year before the pandemic hit.
"We've been dealing with a driver shortage for a while, but the pandemic took that issue and metastasized it," Ryan Streblow, the executive vice president of the NTTC, told CNN. "It certainly has grown exponentially."
Several factors are to blame, including a sharp decrease in demand for fuel during the early stages of the pandemic, an aging workforce and drivers who simply do not want to comply with the latest safety protocols.
The problem was exacerbated last year when Americans were unable to drive due to coronavirus pandemic shutdowns, and gas stations simply did not need as much gas. As a result, truck drivers were not getting enough jobs, and many decided to leave the business.
The work often necessitates a special qualification and a certain amount of training, which adds to the difficulties. Many truck training programs were also closed during the pandemic.
As a result, gas stations may have difficulty receiving fuel and may run out until their stocks are replenished. An analyst told CNN that vacation hotspots are most likely to be affected, and there have already been shortages in Florida during Spring Break. He went on to say that fuel shortages could spark a run on gasoline as consumers could be spooked by seeing gas stations without gas.
Even if that does not occur, consumers will be on the hook for more money as trucking companies raise salaries to recruit drivers, and these increases will be passed on to customers.
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