A whistleblowing truck driver has phoned Perth Radio Station 6PR’s Breakfast Program yesterday morning, and spoken about alleged impending shortages to WA grocery distribution centres.
He alleged that this is the worst he has seen in his thirty years in the industry.
The truck driver who wished to be known as “Eddie” had explained that he currently works for one of the biggest transport companies in Australia and that they only had three semi trailer trucks working, delivering the last of their supplies to IGA and Woolworths distribution centres.
He alleged that the majority of the company’s distribution fleet in WA is stood down without pay and that it’s last three trucks will be “parked up” indefinitely.
Most of the distribution centres that his employer delivers to will run out of stock by Friday or Monday next week and that there were no contingency plans in place, he stated.
He further alleged that there is no freight coming into WA apart from one “road train” truck on Friday, and that a lot of this has to do with the WA Governments border restrictions due to COVID-19.
This situation is further compounded with distribution supply issues in the Eastern States due to Omicron Breakouts.
In the words of Eddie, ” If you drive past our yard you will see sea of trucks and a sea of trailers parked up”. ” If you drive past BP on Abernethy Road you will see endless prime movers just parked up”. “They have nothing to do, it’s crazy and nobody is doing anything about it”.
When asked for the solution by the breakfast show presenter, Eddie’s response was to ease the current restrictions and get freight moving, and get Main Roads WA into gear to relax their cross border trailer swapping rules.
Truck driver Eddie also made the point that it’s too hard for companies to deal with the situation, red tape and lack of government support, and that none of these drivers are getting paid with many having mortgages and living week to week.
He has further alleged that the WA public will be screaming by next week when these distribution centres run out of stock.
The WA State Government is yet to comment on these allegations.
