BURKE'S Transport is one of many Bathurst businesses feeling the effects of COVID at the moment.
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The staff shortages due to employees contracting COVID or being deemed a close contact are making business difficult enough for the local transport company.
Add to that the high number of staff shortages experienced by the businesses that Burke's deals with and timelines are blowing right out.
"We've had real issues with staff; yesterday [Monday] we had nine people away all together, so we're in no different a situation to pubs and restaurants with staff," owner Graeme Burke said.
"One of the other major problems that's hurting us more than anything is that a lot of the places that we take loads to ... because all of these big warehouses are suffering so badly from not having their full staff, it would normally take an hour to unload where we could be sitting there for two or three hours."
A positive for the transport industry is that its workload has actually increased since COVID hit.
Mr Burke said no-one really knows why, but the industry has been very busy over the past 18 months as the workload has been well above average.
However, the combination of a high demand in business and a shortage of staff has made it very difficult for Mr Burke to run his company.
"We've been busy, there's no question in the world about that, but we've continually had people off sick or they're close contacts; it's just been an ongoing thing for the last 18 months," he said.
"It's been very difficult to run the business, very difficult.
"I've been in this game for 50 years in November and I've never, ever seen it like this. It's just the most challenging times ever."
One of the businesses that Burke's Transport carts groceries out of recently had 150 staff members off in one day.
Under normal circumstances, the trucks are usually sitting and being loaded with groceries for around one to two hours, however there have been occasions where it's been five to six hours before the drivers are back on the road.
"The ongoing effects are just absolutely dreadful," Mr Burke said.
It's been very difficult.
"Everything is just taking twice as long as it should ... we haven't had a shortage of work, but trying to have enough staff to do it has been a nightmare."
Burke's Transport transports a wide range of goods from Bathurst to Sydney and Bathurst to Melbourne, and it's this diversity that Mr Burke believes has helped keep the company busy.
However, like many, he is still experiencing serious struggles.
Amy Rees
Journalist at the Western Advocate in Bathurst since May, 2021.
Journalist at the Western Advocate in Bathurst since May, 2021.
