b'AUGUST 2025EUROPEAN TRADE 25POH_127_x_203_.qxp_(AJOT)17.02.2416:34Seite 1(SHORTAGEcontinued from page 20) causedetention.Thesamestrategy Congressaretakingstepstoaddressmaybenecessarytoensuredrivers theissue,includingallocatingfundsare allowed access to restroom facili-to expand parking and implementingtieswhilewaitingatshippersand smart parking technologies. However,receivers facilities.there is no easy fix. Increased invest- Industrygroupsareadvocating mentininfrastructure,technologychanges,butregulatoryorlegisla-solutions,andpolicychangesarealltiveprocessescanbelengthy. Asa parts of the solution. moreimmediatesolution,carriers areactivelyrecruitingdriversfrom d etention andd elaysi MpaCt non-traditional groups, including pro-p ay andp roduCtiVity gramsspecificallydesignedtooffer Driver delays and detention at ship- opportunities to individuals who have ping and receiving facilities continuefaced challenges in their past.to impact truck drivers and the com-panies they serve. On average, driverss eCond -C hanCeC arrierp rograMsare detained at 40% of stops, with evenn ews ourCe ford riVershigher rates for drivers of refrigeratedCarriersareofferingasecond trucks, according to recent research bychance to individuals with past crimi-ATRI. These delays occur even when analrecordsthroughspecializedpro-driver arrives at the appointment timegrams. Thecriteriavary,withsomeHAMBURGscheduled by the shipper. companies being willing to consider The report notes that many driv- driverswithfelonyormisdemeanor ers experience a two-hour delay, andconvictions,oftenwithstipulationsYOUR PORTsix-hourdelaysarenotuncommon.regarding the type of offense, the time Some drivers report that they are notelapsed since the conviction, and the allowed to access restroom facilitiesdrivers overall record.by companies, regardless of how longDriverswhohavecompleted theyhavebeenwaitingattheship- theSubstanceAbuseProfessionalglobal pers location. (SAP) program may also qualify fortransPORT In 2023, the for-hire trucking indus- driving jobs with some carriers. Thesolutionstry lost over 135 million hours due toDepartment of Transportation (DOT)-detention, according to ATRI. This lostmandated SAP program assists com-time resulted in $11.5 billion in lost pro- mercialdriverswhohaveviolated ductivity for the industry in 2023. drug and alcohol policies in returning Onaverage,truckloaddriversto safety-sensitive positions.lost between $11,000 and $19,000 inThese programs are being offered annualrevenueduetodetentioninon a case-by-case basis by Roehl Trans-2023. Truckload drivers are typicallyport, C. R. England, USA Truck, Mav-paid by the mile, not by the hour, soerick Transportation, and other carriers.time spent waiting at docks translates directly into lost compensation. w oMend riVersf aCeu niqueOne of the first steps in address- C areerC hallenges int ruCkinging this problem is quantifying costsWomen drivers are not new to the andconsequencestocreateaware- industry,buttheyonlyrepresented nessasameansofencouraging4.1 percent of drivers in 2023, even shippersandreceiverstoprioritizethough women make up 47.1% of the efficiencyandimplementstrategieslabor force. ATRIs research indicates to reduce the amount of time trucksthat not only do women face the same wait at their facilities. challengesasmenregardingpark- fear of retaliation is equally important. this quota will be taxed at 27.5% and The ATA and ATRI are advocat- inganddetention,butotherfactorsThetruckdrivershortageisnotthere is concern this could trigger a ing improved communication betweenare impacting decisions by women toa new problem, nor one with an easyrush towards the end of the year as carriers, drivers, shippers, and receiv- choose careers in trucking. solution. However, carriers and indus- UK automakers pull out all the stops ers to prevent delays before they occur.Themostcommonissueidenti- trygroupsareactivelyworkingtoto get vehicles included in the quota. Increased detention fees for customersfied by ATRI is gender discriminationmake truck driving a career of choice. Another worry is the lack of upside provide an incentive for shippers andandharassment.ATRIrecommendspotentialtoraiseproductionforthe receivers to operate more efficiently. thatcarriersaddresstheseconcernsUS market in the foreseeable future.When communication and incen- bycreatingclearpolicieswithcon- (BRUNTcontinued from page 24) Elsewhere,Toyotahaswarned tives do not result in improvements,sequencesfornon-compliance.Anroughlythevolumeexportedtothethat it could be penalized almost $10 ATRI recommends that carriers refuseopen-door policy where women feelUS in 2024, the biggest seller beingbillion from the US imports tariffs for to service customers who consistentlycomfortable reporting issues withouttheRangeRover.Anythingbeyondthe current financial year ending 31 March 2026, the largest of any auto-makertodate,underlininggrowing pressures on margins.(PROGRESScontinued from page 24)the deal, stated in a White House fact sheet but which has had only limited media coverage and could become a major obstacle, is a pledge by the EU to invest $600 billion in the US by the end of Trumps second term.This new investment is in addi-tion to the over $100 billion (that) EU companies already invest in the United States every year, the fact sheet added.However,suchapledgewould appear to be untenable as the European Commission(EC)doesnothavethe power to design and implement invest-ments on behalf of the private sector.This has not deterred Trump from assertingthattheinvestmentpledge was one of the reasons he had dropped tariffs to a blanket rate of 15% rate and will need to be honored otherwise duties of 35% will be imposed on the 27-nation bloc.'