Has COVID-19 vaccine mandate reached its end?

Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for those entering the country ended in October. As of press time, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and other organizations were asking the United States to do the same.

Both nations have had mandates blocking unvaccinated foreign nationals, including truck drivers, from crossing the border for most of the year. Canada’s mandate, which required U.S. truckers to show proof of vaccination before entering the country, took effect Jan. 15. The U.S. mandate, which requires cross-border truckers to be vaccinated before entering the country, started Jan. 22.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has opposed the vaccine mandate for truckers since the start. In February, OOIDA wrote to U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asking them to exempt truck drivers from the cross-border vaccination requirements.

Following Canada’s decision to end the mandate, OOIDA wrote Biden again to end the requirement to enter the United States.

“Since commercial drivers spend the majority of their time alone in their vehicle and outside, there is no evidence that truckers present a higher risk of spreading the virus,” Spencer wrote. “Moreover, there is no evidence that truckers have been the source of any coronavirus outbreaks within the United States, suggesting that the cross-border mandate is likely to be having little, if any, effect.”

OOIDA said the vaccine mandate created another “unnecessary obstacle” for truckers.

“OOIDA has always maintained that vaccination is a personal choice just like any health decision, and we have provided our members with the most up-to-date information about how they can receive COVID-19 vaccines,” the Association wrote. “But for drivers who have made a decision that doesn’t comply with the mandate, it has forced them out of business or to change their operations.

“Truckers already face difficult working conditions and must comply with an enormous regulatory burden. The United States’ cross-border vaccine mandate adds another unnecessary obstacle for them. Even for drivers who may be in compliance, the continuance of the mandate is just another piece of government red tape for which they have to manage additional paperwork and possible delays.”

OOIDA wasn’t alone in asking for the end to the vaccine requirement.

Sen. John Tester, D-Mont., wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“Truck drivers and the goods they transport are the lifeblood of our economy,” Tester wrote. “This is especially true in northern border states, like Montana, that have a special trading relationship with Canada. Fertilizer, hay, and other agricultural products from Canada are critical for farmers and ranchers in Montana and across America.

“Vaccine mandates for truck drivers, along with reduced hours at ports of entry, longer drive times, and a shortage of truck drivers are making it harder and more expensive for American farmers and ranchers to get the products they need.”

The Canadian Trucking Alliance and the American Trucking Associations also urged the United States to follow Canada’s lead.

The Canadian group says that trucking companies would benefit from the removal of the U.S. border vaccination policies. It’s the alliance’s stance that ending any mandates would result in “a significant increase to their cross-border driver pools and an improved ability to deliver U.S. exports to the benefit of U.S. businesses and commerce.”

In addition to collaborating with the ATA, the alliance is seeking the support of the Council of Governors and National Governors Association to help end any border mandates.

“With Canada being the No. 1 export market for most U.S. states, and with most Canada-U.S. trade moving by truck, CTA reiterated that the reciprocity of these changes would add considerable freight capacity and allow the trucking sector to better service the constituents and businesses within many states these governors represent,” the Canadian Trucking Alliance said in a statement. LL

Staff Writer Ryan Witkowski contributed to this report.