Port Backlog Not Improving; CA DMV To The Rescue
The California DMV, on orders from California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking what it calls ‘immediate action’ to unload cargo ships just sitting outside the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
But the action won’t have an immediate impact.
Those ships have already been sitting at the ports for several months.
They are loaded with cheap merchandise from overseas.
The ports are moving slowly, many of them saddled with worker shortages brought about what government brought society to a standstill with Covid-19 pandemic closures and lockdowns.
There ia a truck driver shortage nationwide as well. Many truckers were forced to find other ways to make a living during the pandemic, and don’t appear ready to return to trucking right away.
But the California DMV has the solution. It says it will nearly double its capacity to conduct commercial driving tests in the coming months.
So the DMV will now offer Saturday commercial driving test appointments at three offices – Fullerton, Montebello and Winnetka – bringing the total number of Saturday DMV test sites to 15. The DMV has also increased staffing at the test centers.
The Governor’s Executive Order also directs the Department of Finance to work with state agencies to develop longer-term solutions that support port operations and goods movement for consideration in the Governor’s Budget, which may include port and transportation infrastructure improvements, electrification of the goods movement system from port to delivery and workforce development.
FILE – Shipping containers are stacked over a truck at the Port of Los Angeles Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Los Angeles. One month after President Joe Biden announced an agreement to have the Port of Los Angeles operate round-the-clock to help break a cargo backlog at the docks, officials disclose that hasn’t happened as they contend with a shortage of truck drivers and accessible warehouse space.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) Used locally Nov 18th 2021
@ap.images
