Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Lowell, Lynn: employment, tenant, university)

[msRB311]

I'll ask my kids bus driver why she is doing this and not a trucking job.

[msRB311]

This made Yahoo news:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/massac...235345800.html

We have great vaccination rates but no one wants to be a school bus driver.

[Amontillado]

The Yahoo article says "90 of them to be initially deployed in four diverse cities north of Boston – Chelsea, Lawrence, Lowell, and Lynn.The Guard troops will complete vehicle training like any school transportation worker and operate transport vans known as “7D vehicles,” not the familiar yellow school buses, according to the governor’s office."

I looked it up, and it seems 7D vehicles are basically vans, typically used to carry special needs students. And the cities where the National Guard drivers are being sent are among the poorest in the state. It's not like there's a problem finding drivers for kids in Harvard or Weston.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Being a truck driver is much more of a commitment than being a school bus driver or even an MBTA bus driver. I'm sure I dont need to tell you that truck drivers are on the roads for days, even weeks so I can see why someone wouldnt want that job even if the pay is good.

And the Over The Road driver attrition rate is close to 90% - many can't take the beating their physical and mental health takes to be an OTR driver for more than a year. Less than Trailerload drivers are the ones we see most often driving day cabs making deliveries and pickups at warehouses and stores. LTL drivers start and end their day at a terminal and often make the same stops everyday.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by robr2

And the Over The Road driver attrition rate is close to 90% - many can't take the beating their physical and mental health takes to be an OTR driver for more than a year. Less than Trailerload drivers are the ones we see most often driving day cabs making deliveries and pickups at warehouses and stores. LTL drivers start and end their day at a terminal and often make the same stops everyday.

I believe OTR is about 2 1/2 X bigger than LTL. In New England, we don't see the enormous volume of OTR traffic you see elsewhere. I drove to Colorado in June. I couldn't believe the relentless truck traffic.

[justyouraveragetenant]

I had a real brain fart with Bidens vaccine mandate. it says that every private business in the united states with more than 100 employees must get all their employees vaccinated? i thought it just applied to federal since no president would be dumb enough to try to pass it for private businesses.

it was so ridiculous I did not even notice it. if that is true if you think we have major work shortages now you have not seen anything.

[msRB311]

I'm no fan of Biden's either but I still got vaccinated.

[Nirvana11]

Does anyone know about Moderna booster shot? I remember Pfizer has one already in making and approved for some groups.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Nirvana11

Does anyone know about Moderna booster shot? I remember Pfizer has one already in making and approved for some groups.

It’s not clear that there are going to be any boosters for a while. There is contrarian opinion that the original jabs keep people out of the hospital and the planet is better off giving the vaccine to the third world. If we get to the 20th and it doesn’t happen, I think a lot of people are going to lie and say they have a compromised immune system since there are no checks.

From what I’ve read, a 3rd Moderna jab might be delayed a few weeks if they indeed opt to start 3rd jabs on the 20th.

Personally, I think the 3rd jab should be phased in by age. Israel started with 60+. Sadly, I’m more prone to believe Israeli public health decisions than US public health decisions.

[Nirvana11]

Thanks, I think there was also an argument that Moderna seemed to have a longer immunity vs Pfizer. I am not very familiar with the details or the technical aspect of vaccine development but seemed odd since both were essentially mRNA. I am just keeping an eye out as I might have to travel internationally and would like to get the booster before that..