When Trucks Stop, America Stops

[MNeagle]

A Timeline Showing the Deterioration of Major Industries Following a Truck Stoppage

The first 24 hours
• Delivery of medical supplies to the affected area will cease.
• Hospitals will run out of basic supplies such as syringes and catheters
within hours. Radiopharmaceuticals will deteriorate and become
unusable.
• Service stations will begin to run out of fuel.
• Manufacturers using just-in-time manufacturing will develop component
shortages.
• U.S. mail and other package delivery will cease.

Within one day
• Food shortages will begin to develop.
• Automobile fuel availability and delivery will dwindle, leading to skyrocketing prices and long lines at the gas pumps.
• Without manufacturing components and trucks for product delivery, assembly lines will shut down, putting thousands out of work.

Within two to three days
• Food shortages will escalate, especially in the face of hoarding and consumer panic.
• Supplies of essentials—such as bottled water, powdered milk, and canned meat—at major retailers will disappear.
• ATMs will run out of cash and banks will be unable to process transactions.
• Service stations will completely run out of fuel for autos and trucks.
• Garbage will start piling up in urban and suburban areas.
• Container ships will sit idle in ports and rail transport will be disrupted, eventually coming to a standstill.

Within a week
• Automobile travel will cease due to the lack of fuel. Without autos and busses, many people will not be able to get to work, shop for groceries, or access medical care.
• Hospitals will begin to exhaust oxygen supplies.

Within two weeks
• The nation’s clean water supply will begin to run dry.

Within four weeks
• The nation will exhaust its clean water supply and water will be safe for drinking only after boiling. As a result gastrointestinal illnesses will increase, further taxing an already weakened health care system.

This timeline presents only the primary effects of a freeze on truck travel. Secondary effects must be considered as well, such as inability to maintain telecommunications service, reduced law enforcement, increased crime, increased illness and injury, higher death rates, and likely, civil unrest.

http://www.truckline.com/Newsroom/Tr...ca%20Stops.pdf

[Kali]

Great article.

[DMac]

Flashback: 18 March 2008

US truck drivers squeezed by soaring diesel prices

snip

The cost of diesel gasoline in the US soared to historic highs over the past several weeks, threatening independent truck drivers with financial ruin and forcing a sharp hike in transportation costs, which reverberates throughout the economy.

According to the most recent reports, the national average cost of diesel—used mainly in trucks, farm equipment, and other machinery—is now a record $4 a gallon. Last year, the average price was only $2.75 a gallon.

The cost of gasoline, used in most automobiles in the US, has also risen substantially and now averages $3.28 a gallon. With the spring and summer seasons coming, a period when fuel prices generally rise, some analysts predict that gasoline prices will go up to $3.50 or $4 a gallon by the July 4 holiday period.

I recall reading a trucker forum of some sort where they claimed if diesel fuel hits $5/gallon American trucking is over. At $4/gallon truckers barely broke even, with some basically losing money on long hauls.

It truly frightens me how woefully unprepared the people of this country are for hardship. Also, the medical supplies list reminds me how even after prepping for a couple years I am still far short of where I want to be