Nation Catching On To Consequences Of Truck Driver Shortage

In searching for “what’s news” for our mid-week Trucking Truth news article it was hard to miss the number of headlines about the truck driver shortage that dominate today’s media. And, it’s remarkable because the headlines aren’t coming from the usual truck industry media sources. It appears the rest of the nation is catching on to how important truck drivers are to the economy and what the consequences are when there aren’t enough drivers to man the big rigs that deliver consumer goods.

Nation catching on to consequences of truck driver shortage

A shortage in your neighborhood Kroger of Libby's canned vegetables is one thing. This news article by CNN is about a shortage that will get the general public in the short hairs:

Coming this summer: Gas stations running out of gas

Will some start hoarding gasoline as they did toilet paper a year ago?

All I saw in the article is where it said "truck drivers are now the scapegoats for all prices of all products going up, yeah, that's it...it's those pesky truck drivers fault, not our new Presidents policy changes".....

I delivered TP to Costco the other day, kept my mouth shut, figured it was a gold run....lol

Will some start hoarding gasoline as they did toilet paper a year ago?

Great another Crisis to look forward to 😏 but it looks like I'll have a lot more riders on my routes though . 👍

A shortage in your neighborhood Kroger of Libby's canned vegetables is one thing. This news article by CNN is about a shortage that will get the general public in the short hairs:

Coming this summer: Gas stations running out of gas

Well... it seems the shortage is here a LOT faster than 'this summer'....

I stopped at a Circle-K in Lakeland Florida on my way home this evening for a drink. While I was at the soda fountain getting my drink, one of the store clerks came in and announced to the people in line that they had just run completely out of gas. Out of curiosity, I asked her what happened, she immediately said that their distributor missed their 3rd delivery for the day because they don't have enough drivers to keep up with the load schedule. She expected it would be about another 4 or 5 hours before they would get their next load of gas delivered.

So, yeah, if they are running out of gas with their normal daily demand, I can only imagine what it will be like if people all start running out to get gas fearing there won't be any.

And Western Express has gotten desperate

I reached out to pilot flying j because they're hiring in my area. 23/hr 1730 to 0530. The hours suck and the money isn't great. I'd do it if it were 0530 to 1730, but for those hours I would need to be paid more.

During blitz week a lot of drivers stay home and the rates go through the roof. I've always run during blitz week and I love it.

Yesterday I got 12 emails from landstar needing trucks. They usually send one or two when it's busy. Going to look at prices on a newer truck this weekend. The 5 yr depreciation is almost up on my current one. Be safe everyone.