By the Manitoba Trucking Association

“The number two in-demand occupation in Manitoba over the next five years is ‘transport truck driver,’ with 5,000 anticipated openings. We need to recruit, train, and retain a skilled, professional truck driver every eight hours, every day, over the next five years in order to meet this demand.”

 Our provincial government recently released the Manitoba Labour Market Outlook Report (www.gov.mb.ca/jec/lmi/pdfs/mb_labour_market_outlook_2021_25.pdf) that looks at types of jobs and how many workers will be needed to fill them in Manitoba over the next five years. The occupation with the most openings (5,400 anticipated) is ‘retail salesperson’; the number two in-demand occupation in Manitoba over the next five years is ‘transport truck driver,’ with 5,000 anticipated openings. We need to recruit, train, and retain a skilled, professional truck driver every eight hours, every day, over the next five years in order to meet this demand. The unfortunate reality of this number, though, is that it hasn’t really changed much over the past few years: there has been a consistent labour shortage for professional drivers in Manitoba for some time.

As an organization, we provide a lot of outreach services to young people, new Canadians, and those seeking a career change (to name just a few groups). While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our outreach efforts, it hasn’t slowed them as we promote the industry via any means possible. We highlight the training opportunities (www.trucking.mb.ca/industry/class-1-driver-training) that exist in Manitoba, discuss the various career fields in our industry, and let interested individuals know about different pay scales. We promote the opportunity to travel and see North America, move into a new career, and even be your own boss. We are all aware of these great opportunities that our industry offers.

However, there are challenges in our industry that should not be glossed over. The Province of Ontario is introducing legislation requiring that customers – shippers and receivers – let professional drivers use their washrooms. Shouldn’t access to proper washroom facilities be a basic human right? Driver detention time is an issue coming to light south of the border. Many industry associations are highlighting how much time is spent at shippers and receivers. Work-life balance is another challenge faced by our industry. Yes, the schedule works for many professional drivers, but there are many for whom it is a drawback. These are all legitimate challenges our industry faces in recruiting, training, and retaining truck drivers.

With supply chain issues that are unlikely to go away anytime soon, we have to face our labour challenges while embracing and promoting our opportunities. Is trucking for everyone? No, it isn’t. But it is the right fit for many, and we need to do our best by them if we want our industry to be successful for everyone.