In the searches we make of news online when determining what story we might write about next on ANP, if suddenly we run across several different stories on practically the same subject matter from several different sources, we often look at such a 'revealing' as a call to us to write a story on that particular subject and sure enough, while researching on Saturday and Sunday, I suddenly was hit by a slew of stories and notices about one of the most important industries in America, the trucking industry.
And as we also read Saturday in this new SQAlert from the website of Steve Quayle from a trucker who has been in the industry for 32 years, things may be much worse than we are being told within that vital industry. We'll take a look below at that important warning but first, let's take a look back at what might happen to America should suddenly and without warning, our trucking industry go under. What would life in America be like without trucks? With truckers warning of a bloodbath ahead and our nations food supply already being hit by what could be asymmetric warfare, there's never been a better time than now to prepare for just such a scenario while we still can.
Trucking moves 71% of the freight in the United States. And if it were to suddenly cease, the effects would be more drastic than you might expect.
In May 2018, truck drivers in Brazil went on strike for a week, and it "paralyzed" the country in unexpected ways. As gas stations ran out of fuel, for instance, public transit halted.
"Without trucking, we would be naked, starving, and homeless," Mike Robbins, a longtime trucker and leader of trucker strike group Black Smoke Matters, told Business Insider.
A study by the American Trucking Associations outlined what would happen if truckers were to stop working. The effects would hit hospitals, gas stations, ATMs, grocery stores, and even your garbage can.
Within the first day Basic medical supplies, like syringes and catheters, would be at risk of running out. Medication for cancer patients that use radiopharmacuticals, which only have a life span of a few hours, would expire.
Mail and package delivery could stop if drivers in last-mile, as well as long-haul truck drivers, were to stop working.
Gas stations and grocery stores would start to run out of supplies. The ATA wrote that reports of a trucker work stoppage would stir up consumer panic, not unlike when hurricanes or other natural disasters lead to folks emptying grocery stores.
"News of a truck stoppage — whether on the local level, state or regional level, or nationwide — will spur hoarding and drastic increases in consumer purchases of essential goods," according to the report.
"Shortages will materialize quickly and could lead to civil unrest."
Further up the supply chain, manufacturing delays would become rampant. Computer and auto manufacturers, for instance, build their goods as components are received throughout the day. Within just a few hours, a lack of truck deliveries of those components would "incur significant disruption costs and thousands of employees will be put out of work."
Within two to three days
In 1974, truckers went on strike in the US for as long as three days in some areas. Around 100,000 truckers were laid off, and the National Guard was called in Ohio to deploy tear gas and forcibly remove trucks from blocking the highways. That strike also led to food shortages nationwide. The ATA said in its report that, with a strike as long as three days, essentials like bottled water, powdered milk, and canned foods would be gone.
The consumer panic that developed during the first day of the strike would mushroom. ATMs would be cashless. Gas stations would run out of fuel. And garbage would begin piling up in urban and suburban zones rather than going to a landfill.
"Uncollected and deteriorating waste products create rich breeding grounds for microorganisms, insects, and other vermin," the ATA wrote. "Hazardous materials and medical waste will introduce toxins as well as infectious diseases into living environments."
Within a week or more
An uncomfortable situation would become dire should truckers stop working for more than a week. Without truckers transporting fuel, most people and businesses would run out of gas. Most forms of transportation would no longer function — even airplanes would remain grounded, as trucks deliver 80% of the fuel used by the nation's airports.
"Without access to automobile travel, people will be unable to get to work causing labor shortages and increased economic damage," the ATA wrote. "Without cars, many people cannot access grocery stores, banks, doctors, and other daily needs."
Most alarmingly, America's supplies of clean drinking water would run dry in as little as two weeks. As the ATA wrote: On average, trucks deliver purification chemicals to water supply plants every seven to 14 days. Without these chemicals, water cannot be purified and made safe for drinking. Without truck deliveries of purification chemicals, water supply plants will run out of drinkable water in 14 to 28 days.
As you know, I have been in trucking for 32 years, and I was just reading an article you posted about trucking. That article is 95% spot on. Although, I think the economy isn't entirely to blame. When the ELD mandate kicked in, it caused a dramatic slow down and in turn a capacity problem. There were not enough trucks to cover all the freight of a growing economy, that drove rates to an all time high. The response was that companies and owner operators expanded substantially. Every one bought loads of new equipment. Too much to fast. (one of my customers added 10,000 trailers last year, this year, they are only replacing older ones, with the expectaion of about 3000 trailers) Now, we have the opposite problem, way too many trucks. Year over year 2018 to 2019, the industry capacity is up 52%. 52% more trucks on the road, all fighting for the same loads, which in turn has caused rates to plummet. Fact is, I have been offered loads at 1991 rates. I suggest to you, that we are absolutely in a freight recession, and what happened in 08 to housing, is about to happen in trucking. You just cant pay a $3000 or more truck payment running for a dollar a mile.
Luckily, I have been at this long enough, that I saw the signs, and got out while I was ahead. I sold all my remaining equipment 6 weeks ago.
Since then, I have watched a lot of people, big and small do the same. Bottom line, the most important industry in this country is on the verge of collapsing. Blood bath barely covers it.:
When this begins in earnest, no part of this country will be exempt from its effects. Ken
So with America nearly completely dependent upon our trucking industry to get almost all of our goods and supplies and the trucking industry seemingly going through big problems according to the stories we've used as sources within this ANP story, what can we do? As 'Ken' pointed out in the SQAlert above, no part of the country will be exempt should the trucking industry go under so it's always best to prepare now for such a situation that we pray never comes while we still can and thankfully, some of the products to help us through such a tragedy are available as near as an internet order.
In the 1st video below, videographer BGS IBMOR breaks down this previously cited Michael Snyder story which was also republished here at Zero Hedge within which Snyder and our videographer warn of all of the serious problems now facing our trucking industry while in the 2nd and final video below, videographer 'Epic Economist' takes a look at data that has come in over the last several weeks which suggests, even without an Iran war, that 'forces' are pushing an economic collapse to happen on President Trump's watch, and ahead of 2020, in another attempt to damage his chances of winning re-election.
And as always, if you have any tips or advice on preparing for a trucking industry collapse, please share what you're thinking in the comment section below. Your advice could save lives. Thank you so much ahead of time!
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