Post by the Scribe on May 14, 2022 6:38:35 GMT
Senator Mark Kelly tackles supply chain issues
www.kold.com/2022/02/05/senator-mark-kelly-tackles-supply-chain-issues/
KOLD News 6-6:30 p.m. recurring
By Bud Foster
Published: Feb. 4, 2022 at 7:01 PM MST
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly spent a windy, blustery, cold morning touring the Port of Tucson at Interstate 10 and Kolb Road to learn more about the supply chain issues which are plaguing the country.
Senator Kelly has proposed legislation to try to end the supply chain issues which stem from the pandemic.
Kelly chose the Port of Tucson because it’s the largest inland port in the Southwest, where trucks load cargo onto trains and vice versa.
It seems one of the issues which is causing serious disruption to supply chains across the country is labor issues.
“The largest one the senator talked about it, the truck driver availability,” said Mike Levin, Port of Tucson owner along with his father and brother. The problem is “to get people who can drive those trucks to move goods.”
By some estimates, America is 80,000 drivers short of what it needs. 75% of America’s consumer goods are transported by truck.
“We’re examining trucker pay,” said Kelly. “When you have a shortage in the work force, one of the ways to address that shortage is to increase pay for the employees.”
But Kelly is also recommending cutting some regulations that may prohibit some people from starting in the trucking industry, such as the law which requires a driver to be 21 years of age to drive interstate.
An 18 year old driver in California can drive all over the state but can’t cross the border into Arizona.
“How does that really make sense,” said Kelly. “That doesn’t seem to be a safety issue, that’s more of a government regulation issue.”
The hurdle for Kelly is to get more truckers on the road but at the same time not jeopardize safety.
“Since we have a shortage of truck drivers across the country, we need to find solutions to fix this shortage which affects so many supply chains,” he said. “And we’ll do it without compromising safety.”
With supply chains interrupted, it causes shortages in stores, increasing demand, forcing up prices and contributes to inflation.
Although, it does not appear to hamper the job market, at least for the time being.
The U-S added 467,000 jobs in January, much higher than expected. But there are more measures for the state of the economy than jobs.
“If you’re measuring the economy on employment maybe it looks good but if you’re measuring it on the cost to families, it’s a very difficult time,” Kelly said.
www.kold.com/2022/02/05/senator-mark-kelly-tackles-supply-chain-issues/
KOLD News 6-6:30 p.m. recurring
By Bud Foster
Published: Feb. 4, 2022 at 7:01 PM MST
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly spent a windy, blustery, cold morning touring the Port of Tucson at Interstate 10 and Kolb Road to learn more about the supply chain issues which are plaguing the country.
Senator Kelly has proposed legislation to try to end the supply chain issues which stem from the pandemic.
Kelly chose the Port of Tucson because it’s the largest inland port in the Southwest, where trucks load cargo onto trains and vice versa.
It seems one of the issues which is causing serious disruption to supply chains across the country is labor issues.
“The largest one the senator talked about it, the truck driver availability,” said Mike Levin, Port of Tucson owner along with his father and brother. The problem is “to get people who can drive those trucks to move goods.”
By some estimates, America is 80,000 drivers short of what it needs. 75% of America’s consumer goods are transported by truck.
“We’re examining trucker pay,” said Kelly. “When you have a shortage in the work force, one of the ways to address that shortage is to increase pay for the employees.”
But Kelly is also recommending cutting some regulations that may prohibit some people from starting in the trucking industry, such as the law which requires a driver to be 21 years of age to drive interstate.
An 18 year old driver in California can drive all over the state but can’t cross the border into Arizona.
“How does that really make sense,” said Kelly. “That doesn’t seem to be a safety issue, that’s more of a government regulation issue.”
The hurdle for Kelly is to get more truckers on the road but at the same time not jeopardize safety.
“Since we have a shortage of truck drivers across the country, we need to find solutions to fix this shortage which affects so many supply chains,” he said. “And we’ll do it without compromising safety.”
With supply chains interrupted, it causes shortages in stores, increasing demand, forcing up prices and contributes to inflation.
Although, it does not appear to hamper the job market, at least for the time being.
The U-S added 467,000 jobs in January, much higher than expected. But there are more measures for the state of the economy than jobs.
“If you’re measuring the economy on employment maybe it looks good but if you’re measuring it on the cost to families, it’s a very difficult time,” Kelly said.