It's been about a month since truck drivers in Canada began protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates that kept them from crossing the U.S.-Canada border. Now, trucking companies in Alaska are feeling the burn.
“We are just very restricted to the amount or the number of drivers that we can draw from to come north to Alaska,” Rankins said.“I imagine I could be hauling probably six, eight loads a week more than I am right now, no problem,” he said.“With the gigantic trucker shortage in the Lower 48, the rates have come up substantially down there,” Rankins said.
“With the rates exploding down south, and the vaccine mandate, I mean it’s just the perfect storm to eliminate a bunch of drivers to come to Alaska,” Rankins said.This has left more companies short-staffed.
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