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Important Update Notice: Freight Disruptions Due To COVID-19
To all our customers,
Please be aware that major staff shortages within the freight industry are currently having severe effects on the supply of transport services. Staff shortages estimated at approximately 50% of the industry are present due to the surge in Omicron-Covid-19 cases and isolation measures.
Transport operators have warned that there is currently uncertainty of supply for all businesses and many may not be able to supply usual services daily. Domestic transport is one of the hardest hit as the industry is facing a high volume of isolating employees, infected employees or long-awaited annual leave occurrences all occurring throughout Jan/Feb 2022.
As a result, several of the transport companies have posted severe service disruption, with limitations more strict than we have seen ever from some.
Carriers affected:
- AirRoad Direct
- Australia Post
- Cochranes
- Couriers Please
- FedEx/TNT
- Hi Trans
- Northline
- Sadliers
- Startrack
- Tas Freight
- Toll
State(s) Affected:
- Nationwide
During this time, we need to plan for:
- Goods may not be collected on day of planned collection or in full
- Transit delays between 3 and 10 business days for road services
- Slower resolution times on late freight and freight queries
The good news is, we do expect this to taper off once the Omicron peak has passed, forecast in late Jan or as late as mid-Feb, and, the federal government is currently preparing new relief measures specifically for the Transport industry and supporting supply chains. The government’s estimate is currently 50% of transport staff are absent from work.
New government measures, including bespoke rules for isolating close contacts working in the transport industry, and the approaching peak, and eventual decline, of Omicron-Covid-19 related cases (forecast in mid-late Feb 2022) is expected to ease pressures on the freight industry.
The measures involve:
- Transport workers not having to isolate from work if they are a household or close contact of a POS case (they will need to isolate when not at work, but are allowed to work).
- Rapid test supplies have been supplied to transport businesses
- Removal of border testing requirements for drivers
These changes will very likely see a large portion of the absent workforce be able to return to work.
In the coming weeks, we expect to receive more information similar to the above from other major carriers as this problem is industry-wide and some have not been able to yet define the extent of the effect this will have on them.
We will do our best to continue to keep you updated as the situation develops.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
BDO Management
