The bipartisan group that includes lawmakers asked Marty Walsh to expedite a federal program which trains and recruits trucker drivers. It is designed to reduce the disruption to the U.S. supply chain.

David Scott (D-Ga.), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, led over 60 Democrats and Republicans to ask Walsh for expedited processing for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act grants. This program recruits job seekers from underprivileged backgrounds for different industry sectors. Program provides training in job skills for low-income workers, dislocated workers and youth.

Walsh told Walsh Wednesday that approvals can take up to a month, even for those who have long-haul trucking experience. To speed up the approval process, the group asked Walsh to contact career centers throughout the country.

Walsh wrote that the legislators were concerned about the fact that turnover rates for long-haul truckers are at 90 percent and that training and onboarding drivers takes several months.

According to the letter, Labor Department data from December revealed that more than 21900 applicants had been trained to drive tractor-trailers and trucks.

In a last month letter addressed to Biden, the American Trucking Associations warned that there is a shortage of 80,000 truck drivers. Walsh’s Wednesday email was supported by the group.

Truckers oppose President Joe Biden’sBecause of concerns that truckers might quit, there are vaccine and testing requirements to private companies. This further complicates the labour shortage.

Millions of Americans have suffered uneven economic recovery due to a shortage in truck drivers in America and a weakening global economy following the pandemic. We must explore all avenues to resolve this crisis. Otherwise, we run the risk of worsening supply shortages for manufacturers and increasing prices on consumer goods.” The lawmakers stated.

The U.S. saw inflation at its highest point in 30 years in September. Prices rose 4.4% annually. The increase was the most rapid since 1991. It is a combination of post-pandemic increases in demand and delays in manufacturing that has led to higher prices.

These are the same factors that have led to increased congestion at our nation’s ports. No relief is expected this year. Goldman forecasts that problems like these will persist into 2022.

Ronnie Walker, Goldman’s economist and author of a note for clients said “Backlogs” and that higher shipping costs would likely continue at least until the middle next year. This is because the immediate solution for the US supply-demand imbalance in US ports is not available.