New Brunswick chips in to help solve trucking’s labor shortage

by Truck News

MIRAMICHI, N.B. – The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) will get up to $200,000 from the New Brunswick government to identify ways to address labor shortages in the trucking industry.

“The trucking industry is a major employer in our province, and one all other industries rely on to deliver their goods to markets in New Brunswick and beyond,” said post-secondary education, training and labour minister Donald Arseneault, who announced the funding in Miramichi at a meeting with the association and industry members. “Ensuring smooth transportation of goods supports our government’s priorities of fostering job creation and growing the economy. The main challenges facing New Brunswick’s trucking industry are recruitment and retention. Over the next decade, we expect the significant demand for drivers to continue, so it is critical that we begin to address these issues as quickly as possible.”

The fund will be used to establish a Labour Force Adjustment Committee, which will work to address the labor shortage.

“The trucking industry contributes to a seamless, multimodal transportation network and plays an important role in the New Brunswick economy,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bill Fraser. “That is why we are pleased to be at the table, working to find a solution so truckers and their customers can focus on their business.”

“This commitment by the province to address labor shortages is an important initiative which will be done in partnership with the trucking industry,” added Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the APTA. “This funding will create awareness of the opportunities we offer and also develop some strategic initiative for the future. Our challenges to attract skilled labourers have been well documented over the years, and this partnership with the province is just what we need to move the situation in a better direction. The trucking industry moves all our goods on a daily basis for New Brunswickers; therefore, it is important that we find people to fill those jobs.”

 


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  • Truck driver shortage down East they don’t need a special group and wasting money about how to resolve this shortage if so.
    Start by paying 40c per mile instead of 32 to 34c per mile and you will get drivers.
    I was down in Arizona picking up a load of produce while I met someone from New Brunswick also doing the same and we got to discuss pay rate and to my surprise this young guy was working for pennies 32c/mile what a joke.
    It is easy let company to look for their driver and start paying them what they worth.

  • Pay the drivers a respectable salary /wage and problem solved. People like myself who work for one of the largest company’s in Atlantic Canada. Had to bolt west because the 32/c or 15.20/hr$ doesn’t add up.

  • $200,000.00 ???????????? There is no driver shortage, just a shortage of decent paying driving jobs.

    Canada has in excess of 100,000 Class 1 drivers doing something else but driving for a living. Up the wages and get at least some of them to come back.

  • Now in fairness, according to what you have written, you only asked about cash. You don’t know what else this fellow was making on top of that ie … employee benefits, training bonus, fuel bonus, safety bonus, company loan, housing allowance if he was an offshore driver, etc, etc.
    Having said that, at $0.40 per mile, why are you undervaluing your own worth ? Regardless of public perception, or government edict, truck drivers are skilled labour, and deserve skilled labour value. As skilled labour all in compensation should be north of $0.55 per mile, plus extra stops, etc.
    Just my 2 cents worth 🙂

  • I agree there is not a shortage! The drivers have retracted there services due to poor wages and working conditions.This is just another excuse for the trucking industry to bring in foreign workers! The creation of more corporate greed.

  • There isn’t a driver shortage in New Brunswick or indeed Canada. Drivers have simply moved away from the profession due to low wages, poor planning and hour upon hour of unpaid waiting.

    • You are absolutely correct Neil, I am one of those drivers that got fed up with the long hours away from home and little money to show from it. I think all drivers should be paid a salary based on a 60 hour work week, I think $1500/wk before taxes would be a starting point.