Trucker shortage leads to possible fuel shortages at some airports, airline industry says

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Transportation

Trucker shortage leads to possible fuel shortages at some airports, airline industry says

American Airlines told its pilots to conserve fuel by using a single engine while taxiing if the plane allows for that

By Michael Laris
Yesterday at 6:04 p.m. EDT

American Airlines and other carriers are facing possible fuel shortages at some airports, industry representatives said. ... American told its pilots to conserve fuel by using a single engine while taxiing if the plane allows for that, the airline said.

“We are aware of fuel supply issues at some airports, predominantly across the western U.S., affecting a number of carriers,” American said in a statement Monday. It said the airline has had “minimal operational impact” so far.

The company said the issue was largely caused by a shortage of truck drivers and fuel trucks, and in some cases, pipeline allocations also are contributing to the issue. It said it has not had to cancel flights.

State officials in Nevada, including Gov. Steve Sisolak (D), warned Saturday of “potential jet fuel shortages that could delay cargo delivery and passenger travel at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in coming days.”

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By Michael Laris
Michael Laris writes about the transformation of the U.S. transportation system. He has covered government accountability and was a reporter in Beijing. Twitter https://twitter.com/mikelaris

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Maybe pay drivers more money? This seems an easy way to resolve this problem, I had read

somewhere that a restaurant owner simply increased his starting pay, and bumped pay up for his other workers, and has never had any issues in getting people to work for him. This formula hasn't seemed to sink in these idiots who think the world is still pre-COVID, same hiring practices, same pay, etc. The world has changed.