The trucking industry accounts for over $700 billion in revenue every year in the United States alone. Over 80% of all goods that are consumed every day by Americans are transported by trucks. While truckers and the trucking industry are under constant scrutiny, the fact is that without freight the country would stop. With the impending trucker shortage, there has been an increase in speculation on the country’s dependence on trucks. But what exactly would happen if one day the trucking industry collapsed?

Food: Thank the Trucking Industry for Eating 

In the event of a trucking industry collapse, food supplies would be affected almost immediately. While larger stores would see the most immediate impact from a depletion of perishable goods, smaller stores would run out of all supply very quickly. The American Trucking Association (ATA) estimates that significant shortages would occur in as little as three days and that the shortages would be expedited by consumer panic.

Healthcare: Trucks Bring Medical Supplies

Perhaps the most disastrous impact would be on the healthcare industry. Many hospitals and care providers only order supplies, such as syringes and bandages, on an as-needed basis, so in the event of a trucking industry collapse, critical supplies would be depleted in a matter of hours. Equally as catastrophic, pharmacies would soon run out of life-saving medications.

Way of Life

The little things that we take for granted would soon be considered long-gone luxuries if the trucks disappeared. There would be no one to deliver fuel to gas stations, and automobile transportation would become impossible within a week. With no means for transportation, people would be unable to access work, run errands or attend school. At the same time, garbage would start to pile on the sides of streets and would quickly reach an overwhelming level, especially in heavily populated areas. While gross, more concerning is the fact that this would provide an ideal breeding ground for disease. Even banks would suffer, as they run out of cash and are unable to process transactions.

The Takeaway: The Trucking Industry is America’s Backbone

It’s important to be reminded every now and then of how crucial the trucking industry is. Although a trucking collapse overnight is highly unlikely, the industry faces incremental problems like driver shortages and limited capacity. To avoid disruption we need to make the entire process more efficient. And to treat truck drivers as important as they are: the backbone of American logistics.

In a world where technology permeates nearly every major industry, the trucking industry is no different. With a steady rise in the number of truck drivers who use smartphones for both entertainment and job management, companies are racing to provide the technology they need to revolutionize the trade. The trucking industry accounts for over $700 billion in yearly revenue and employs nearly 9 million people in the United States alone, so it’s only natural that there is hesitation in transitioning such a massive industry into technology. While logistics technology makes everything easier, there will always be a need for the human touch in the trucking industry.

Shipments Get Rerouted, Trucks Break Down

Life happens, daily. And in life, sometimes things go wrong. Pallets can be rejected by the receiver and put back on the trailer. Appointment times that are missed will need rescheduling. Trucks can break down on the road. Warehouses can be closed when a driver arrives. The list goes on and on. There are hold-ups and obstacles that can’t be solved without a human on the other end. While it’s easy to imagine that using an app to manage your fleet results in a disconnect between dispatchers and drivers, in reality the right platform can make communication easier than ever. Loadsmart, for instance, provides a chat platform for dispatchers, drivers, shippers and warehouse operators to keep one another updated.

Your Livelihood is at Stake

In an industry that transports more than 70 percent of all freight, there is always a lot at stake. It’s crucial that every detail is perfect.  While logistics technology provides tools such as real-time GPS tracking and instant booking of shipments to streamline the process, such a complex industry cannot be reduced to just a few computer clicks. So although Loadsmart automatically vets its carriers with high FMCSA safety and performance standards there is always a human touch on the other end making sure that all of the details fall into place,  assuring you that your goods are being transported by qualified carriers.

Human Assurance

When it comes to your money, sometimes it’s hard to trust that a software can instantly give you the best shipping price. Though our advanced algorithms are constantly crunching data to deliver a fast and accurate estimate, there is always a professional double-checking to make sure we deliver fair prices to both our shippers and partner carriers.