#DriverShortage #UnitedKingdom #FuelShortages #DriverlessVehicles
Drivers are waiting in long lines in the United Kingdom to fill their cars with gasoline.
This is causing gridlock, and worries that emergency vehicles may not be able to get to their destinations.
The government attributes the problem to panic-buying. But when government tells you not to panic, human nature tells you to panic.
Pan Pylas explained this in an article for the Associated Press. It was also published Oct. 4, 2021, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
First cause: a shortage of truck drivers. The government says there is no fuel shortage, just a shortage of folks to transport it, the article says.
Part of the driver shortage has to do with Great Britain’s exit from the European Union (BREXIT). Since people cannot move freely between Great Britain and other European countries anymore, some drivers from elsewhere in Europe cannot easily work in Great Britain, the article says.
Also, the coronavirus pandemic has prompted thousands of EU drivers to leave the U.K., the article says, and prompted many British drivers to retire. Why risk getting sick when the job has relatively low pay, and there are a paucity of facilities for the drivers to take showers, use toilets etc., the article says.
The truck driver shortage in the U.K. highlights another issue. Why would a young person want to drive for a living?
Any casual observer can see that driverless vehicles, though not yet perfected, are coming.
Why would you start a career that likely would have a finite end, long before you would want to retire?
There have been other articles regarding supply-chain issues as an offshoot of the pandemic. When those who transport goods face oodles of testing, quarantining and other precautionary measures to mitigate the virus, it’s no wonder there are backups at ports and other places to which goods are transported.
Some crews have had to work longer shifts because fresh crew members can’t get in to relieve them.
We’ve been warned that if you see something you know you will need or want, buy it when you see it. Shopping around for the best price may leave you going without, or waiting forever for it to be delivered to you.
So, a young person may be thinking: if there is a limited future in a truck-driving career, despite the current driver demand, what should I do?
Fortunately, there are many programs out there that allow you, regardless of your education, experience or background, to earn a potentially lucrative income from your home. There would be no odd shifts, no concern about quarantines etc.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Meanwhile, the world as we knew it a couple of years ago, with continue to be disrupted. Things we took for granted may no longer be easily available.
Even an economy that desperately wants to resume normal operations will have glitches, pitfalls etc. We, as people, must continue our vigilant personal protection against catching the virus. Get vaccinated. Wear masks in crowded settings, even If fully vaccinated.
The normalcy we crave may be a long time coming back – if ever. The pandemic will indeed change many aspects of how we conduct our daily lives forever.
As will the eventual preponderance of driverless vehicles.
Peter