The DRIVE Safe Act pilot program included in the bill will help address our nation’s growing truck driver shortage.
Mark S. Allen, President and CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), issued this statement following the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure legislation:
“Investing in America’s future is critical for the foodservice distribution industry, and modernizing our infrastructure for 21st-century commerce would help the supply chain more efficiently move goods and materials to foodservice operators and professional kitchens across the country,” Allen said. “We are particularly pleased to see the inclusion of the DRIVE Safe Act pilot program, which will help address our nation’s crisis-level truck driver shortage by providing a pathway to well-paying jobs for our emerging workforce. We look forward to working with the Department of Transportation on the pilot’s swift implementation.”
IFDA has long advocated for policy change, primarily through the DRIVE Safe Act, to attract and retain the next generation of professional drivers by enhancing training requirements and removing archaic and arbitrary age restrictions placed on 18-20-year-olds with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
The driver shortage is particularly straining on the foodservice distribution industry, which delivers millions of supplies and perishable products each day. An estimated 15,000+ driver positions are currently open in the foodservice distribution industry, according to an IFDA member survey released this summer.
About the International Foodservice Distributors Association
The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) is the premier trade organization representing the $303 billion foodservice distribution industry. This industry ensures a safe and efficient supply of food and products to more than one million restaurants and foodservice outlets in the U.S. every day. For more information, visit www.ifdaonline.org.
