Truckers on Strike

[Arborius]

Just curious what people think the worst case could be if the trucks stopped delivering food to the grocery store. Who's prepared to feed there family when the food is gone? Anyone have a plan they would like to share?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBgPAF3ZSv8&feature=email

[Rick]

You have to remember that truck delivery across country is a fairly recent phenomenon that has only taken place over the last couple of decades. Most foods, especially produce from the west coast, traveled across country by train. I suspect if fuel prices soared to the point that American truckers could no longer afford to operate then rail shipment would once again be the choice of producers.

My father was in the trucking industry from 1946 until he retired (for good) in 1988(?). I spent most of my summers working with him so I have a pretty good handle on that side of the business during that time frame. Truck delivery was generally only from rail depot to consumer. Although the rail depot could be 100 miles or more depending on where the consumer lived/operated. Most produce in the Midwest arrived at either Chicago, St. Louis or Memphis. Smaller yards were scattered around but those were the big three as I remember.

[crashdive123]

With the type of strike that you are describing....I wonder what kind of numbers there are of non-union truckers? For many of them it may be an opportunity to make a better living.

[wareagle69]

i would suspect that the government would declare them an essential service and force them back to work while negotiating

[Arborius]

In the northern panhandle of West Virginia were I live they took out all the railroad tracks and put in walking trails not sure about the rest of the country but our area is without rail service. I always thought it was a bad idea.

[Rick]

Non-Union truckers far outnumber union truckers. I wish I could pull up some numbers are that. I looked but couldn't find anything. It would be interesting to see the actually tally but I know the Teamsters have lost a lot of members since 1988 when the industry was deregulated. UPS is the largest unionized driving company.

As for pulling up track, that's just part and parcel of the trucking industry's growth. As they took over the shipping from the railroads the tracks were no longer needed. There are still main lines in W. Virginia.

Enjoy!! http://www.wvrail.railfan.net/navmenu.html

[jrock24]

I would go to the local docks and buy seafood.

[Ole WV Coot]

In the northern panhandle of West Virginia were I live they took out all the railroad tracks and put in walking trails not sure about the rest of the country but our area is without rail service. I always thought it was a bad idea.

Down on this end of the state new track has been laid from Kenova to East Lynn. When our senator, Rockey and his co-harts opened the mines again. When I left this part of the world most everything was union. Dad was an organizer in Harlan Co., KY and Floyd & Pike Co. Today mostly non-union mines(Massey Energy) and the same with truckers hauling up Rt. 23 to barges on the KY side of the river. I don't know how independent truckers can afford to run but they do. Right now the N&W pulls close to 100 cars out of East Lynn today. If you live in the panhandle anywhere near Martinsburg it is now becoming a suburb of Washington, DC. Had passenger service for commuters last time I was there to DC.

[Arborius]

I would go to the local docks and buy seafood.

The problem with that is everyone else would be also and the prices would be outrageous.


If you live in the panhandle anywhere near Martinsburg it is now becoming a suburb of Washington, DC.

I'm from Wheeling. I never pay much attention to railroad tracks I just know that the ones I new about are all gone and I never see trains anywhere any more. Either way it seems even if deliveries switch from truck to train the prices would still rise more than most people could pay.

[tacmedic]

Aren't most locomotive engines powered by diesel as well? If so, it seems like it would be just as costly to run them as it would to run trucks.

[Arborius]

Aren't most locomotive engines powered by diesel as well? If so, it seems like it would be just as costly to run them as it would to run trucks.

Well trains can pull more cars behind them than trucks and they wouldn't have to sit in traffic like trucks.

[Rick]

Arborius - I think you are right. Prices will still rise but the cost per item would be less if shipped by train. Think of the Del Monte green bean warehouse and how many trucks they have lined up to ship those 10,000 cases of green beans. Now think of how many rail cars can be loaded with the same shipment. Both use diesel but it's a matter of economy of scale.

[bladefrenzy]

The problem with that is, the trucks usually distribute the items that are moved cross country by rail. No trucking may not cause a total SHTF situation across the USA but it would cause a big slow down in the delivery of goods and cause a large price increase, IMHO.

[Rick]

I agree. As I said in post 2. Local pedal was done by trucks back then. The only difference was the trip from the west coast to the east coast (and points in between) were done by rail.

If you remove the cost of fuel to ship across country and the independent trucker is only having to purchase fuel for a 100 mile trip instead of a 1000 mile trip then he can probably still afford to operate on a local route. Again, economy of scale. He could make 10 trips from St. Louis to Southern Illinois (when I grew up) instead of 1 trip from Los Angeles. He's hauled 10 trailer loads for the same amount of fuel. He just picks it up at the rail depot.

[crashdive123]

I would think that the indy's would be able to increase their prices to cover the increase in costs. With competion, the cost of shipping goods is staying relatively low, but when that competition decreases.....suppliers still need to move their goods. I know that supply and demand are going to dictate the cost of any goods and services, but I do believe that another influence in prices from the "big" players.

[Sam Reeves]

The real problem is that there is not a train depot at every Super Walmart. At some point trucks will still have to get stuff from point A to point B.

[Sam Reeves]

I agree. As I said in post 2. Local pedal was done by trucks back then. The only difference was the trip from the west coast to the east coast (and points in between) were done by rail.

If you remove the cost of fuel to ship across country and the independent trucker is only having to purchase fuel for a 100 mile trip instead of a 1000 mile trip then he can probably still afford to operate on a local route. Again, economy of scale. He could make 10 trips from St. Louis to Southern Illinois (when I grew up) instead of 1 trip from Los Angeles. He's hauled 10 trailer loads for the same amount of fuel. He just picks it up at the rail depot.

Oops. I didn't see yer post before I responded.

[Sam Reeves]

I can't believe there is not a huge pipeline to a massive refineray in the Desert somewhere.

If Russia can do this surely we can pull something like that off.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,478448,00.html

[Rick]

There has actually been talk for years about a bridge crossing the Bearing Strait. More than a few weather related problems in doing that.

[Sam Reeves]

There has actually been talk for years about a bridge crossing the Bearing Strait. More than a few weather related problems in doing that.I doubt Russia cares. Look at all the nuclear they have had sink in the past. Putin is ex-KGB and all.

[jrock24]

The problem with that is everyone else would be also and the prices would be outrageous.



I would rather pay outrageous prices then starve.

[Rick]

I doubt Russia cares. Look at all the nuclear they have had sink in the past. Putin is ex-KGB and all.

You bet. The Thresher and the Scorpion both went down. Oh, wait. Those were U.S. My bad. And correct me if I'm wrong (I know I'm not that's why I'm writing this:D) wasn't daddy Bush the director of the CIA?

[Beo]

In the northern panhandle of West Virginia .

Didn't know West "By God" Virginia had a panhandle.

[Sam Reeves]

You bet. The Thresher and the Scorpion both went down. Oh, wait. Those were U.S. My bad. And correct me if I'm wrong (I know I'm not that's why I'm writing this:D) wasn't daddy Bush the director of the CIA?

The Bush bunch has their finger in everything which is why other future super powers probably jealously guard what they control.

I figure (speculation) that since Russia is a nation of revolutions and tyrants that would readily throw what ever "cannon fodder" was necessary to finish whatever the current leader wanted done, the Bering Straight tunnel included.

[Arborius]

Didn't know West "By God" Virginia had a panhandle.

West Virginia has 2 panhandleshttp://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e33/Arborius1518/wv.jpg

[crashdive123]

...and apparently a concern about nuclear attack.

[Rick]

This one is prettier.

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/163966-Postcard_Map_of_West_Virginia-West_Virginia.jpg

[Ole WV Coot]

I like Rick's better. Where I am has a deer and no yellow thingys. We have a mine a few minutes away with a 360' shaft down to the opening behind blast doors I guess I could run to. It should hold a few people. I was unfortunate enough to be given a clearance to go to a lot of neat places that are probably just holes in the ground. One that is well known by all locals and just about everyone else was funny. It was a mountain hollowed out and filled with all sorts of goodies. We couldn't find it of course and really didn't know how to ask for directions, stopped to get gas and the attendant just looked at us and said we were going the wrong direction for the govt instillation and gave us detailed directions. The Greenbriar Hotel has been off the list since WWII along with places in Maine and haven't worked the Western states but I bet most run and hide places are known to the world. I helped empty one in DC stocked with hundreds of cots, several hundred 1st aid kits from WWII, amazing what people thought was survival equipment in the '40s. Besides me anyone remember getting under your desk at school for a nuke drill? Glad it's changed. Many many moons ago I would be by myself in the middle of DC at 4am and have a CD countdown alarm go off. It was a box from WWII that had an alarm and that had lamps that went from alarm to kiss your a$$ bye bye and it wasn't a happy alarm clock. I tripped a siren in Arlington in the middle of the night and a local cop beat it to death because of complaints, was next to a high rise apt. building. I did scramble a SAC base once and got bragged on. Those were the days.

[Arborius]

Besides me anyone remember getting under your desk at school for a nuke drill?

Yeah I remember. Who needs a bunker stocked with food and water when you have a desk to hide under?

[crashdive123]

Getting under the desks next to the 20 ft high windows for the air raid drills...yep I remember them. Not like the fire drills where they just sounded the fire alarm, but the air raid siren in town went off, and we dove under the desks.

[Rick]

I didn't have a desk in the cloak room. Just a tall chair and that stupid pointy hat they made me wear.

[crashdive123]

I guess as times change......some of us went through drills due to the fear of a nuclear attack. Now days the drils are due to the fear of a deranged gunman.