The federal government’s jobs report has confirmed that truckers are losing their jobs by the thousands. According to preliminary payroll numbers reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics last week, around 4,500 trucking jobs were eliminated in the month of August alone.
The worst part is that we can expect that number to get worse in the coming months. According to Business Insider, this is the first time the agency reported a slash in trucking payrolls since March, when 1,200 truckers lost their jobs. That’s also the biggest drop since April of 2018 when approximately 5,500 trucking jobs were lost.
Indicators from the trucking industry have been sour in 2019. In the first half of the year, around 640 trucking companies went bankrupt, according to industry data from Broughton Capital LLC. That’s more than triple the number of bankruptcies from the same period last year — about 175. –Business Insider
One trucking company’s profits plunged recently adding more fuel to the recession fires. USA Truck reported $2.5 million in net income in the second quarter of 2018. In Q2 2019, it reported $1,000 in profit, according to a separate report from Business Insider. The trucking industry is indeed going through a “bloodbath.”
Not a number you see very much in quarterly earnings: USA Truck's 2q profit fell to … $1,000. https://t.co/hYUiWHmqyz
— Paul Page (@PaulPage) July 28, 2019
Of course, the news gets even bleaker the further you look. New truck orders sank to a nine-year low in July, according to ACT Research. But that number rebounded slightly in August, with a 6% month-over-month bump.
Trucking is often looked at as a leading indicator of where the rest of the economy is headed. As 71% of America’s freight is moved on trucks, companies foreseeing needing fewer trucks or fewer drivers is typically an omen of an economic downturn: If manufacturers are producing less, and people are buying less, there’s less of a need to move goods. –Business Insider
When the entire country is headed for an economic recession or even a mild downturn, trucking is normally the first industry to feel the pinch. “Because trucking participates in all phases of manufacturing, it increases as manufacturing starts to ramp up, giving it leading indication on economic growth,” Steve Tam, the vice president of ACT Research, previously told Business Insider.
Freight and the trucking industry has been in recession since October of 2018. It is approaching it’s one year mark.
It Took 22 Years to Get to This Point
The health "experts" are "on alert" after the first case of bird flu has been found in a child....
This article was originally published by Michael Snyder at The End of the American Dream under the...
This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge. Update(1315ET): After months...
Commenting Policy:
Some comments on this web site are automatically moderated through our Spam protection systems. Please be patient if your comment isn’t immediately available. We’re not trying to censor you, the system just wants to make sure you’re not a robot posting random spam.
This website thrives because of its community. While we support lively debates and understand that people get excited, frustrated or angry at times, we ask that the conversation remain civil. Racism, to include any religious affiliation, will not be tolerated on this site, including the disparagement of people in the comments section.
The trend has been to get away from long haul trucking. Haul the long distance loads on Trains. then short haul the containers to distribution centers. Every truck needs at least one driver. a train hauling hundreds of truckloads only needs three crew members.There are also trailer trains that haul regular semi trailers.
Old Guy, long haul trucking can be reduced by only so much. The railroads don’t operate everywhere and even then there’s limits to how many semi trailers they’ll carry. It’s been rumored that out in AZ there’s a huge railyard full of hundreds of locomotives not even being used anymore. The railroads might outlast the truckers in what’s coming but eventually they’ll get theirs.
The truckers losing their jobs are the ones not hauling any more China Crap goods dumped on America. Trump is squashing that China Trade deficit with Tarriffs. This is short term pain for long term Gain for America’s independence. Trump is doing the right thing.
Any moron who only has working skills to drive a truck, needs to be replaced. Go work construction or Walmart door greeter. lol Hey I’ve been self employed now for nearly 30 years.. Business goes in cycles, and you need to have multiple streams of income these days to fall back on. Its takes personal responsibility and ambition on yourselves to create new opportunities. Quit the whining. Go get a better job than driving a truck.
Hay Thar! What the hell kind of ass hole thing to say is that?
“Any moron who only has working skills to drive a truck…”
WELL, FUCKIN BULLY FOR YOU YOU’VE BEEN SELF EMPLOYED FOR THIRTY YEARS! Ive been driving a truck for forty! It’s been damn good to me! A lot of other drivers have done the same thing. These “morons” as you’ve so disgustingly called us have moved so much of what you use during the day! Keep that in mind the next time you go out to eat or buy food for that ignorant sewer in your face you call a mouth!
There isntnyplace in the USA that is not within 200 miles of a Rail Road container Yard. 200 miles is not long haul. One of the Rock Crusher,s at Black Rock Ar loads almost all of their product on a B&N rail road train. The Crusher at Gads Hill near piedmont Mo. loads almost all of their product on a UP train. The former Peabody now the Burning Star coal mine in southern Ill loads most of their product on a UP train. The coal fired plant at Newark Ar and the other one at Gentry Ar. get 100% of their coal from mines in Gillette Wyoming. Those coal trains are ten miles long.
Didn’t I just read on this site a month ago about a trucker shortage
Make up your mind o no your just trying to fit your fear monger propaganda into your narrative just like the Clinton new network
This site has gone down hill for sure
Yes, there is a trucker shortage and, it’s because of the “bloodbath” of them mentioned here. What’s not being mentioned here either is “why” or “what constitutes” the “bloodbath”. It’s gratuitous (unnecessary, malicious) regulation to intentionally put them out of business. That’s what’s causing the “bloodbath” of (American, but not imported foreign) truckers. Just as unionized American production workers have been replaced by coolie slave labor Communist-ruled Chinese ones, the transportation business of Americans in the U.S. is being replaced by (pardon the intentional pun) “trucked-in” foreigners who owe nothing to the unaware American public on the roads who are vulnerable to the potential carelessness of these unattached foreign trucking “scabs” (and, increasingly, many amateurish, unsafe American “steering wheel holders” as well) driving America’s rigs. Big business has it in for Americans who used to have rights. Now, it’s “accept Communist-ruled Chinese labor standards if you want a job”— or else!
There was a shortage of new drivers some time back. Now there should be enough to cover those shortages. Its all about the money.
“The trucking industry is the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Nearly 71% of all the freight tonnage moved in the U.S. goes on trucks. Without the industry and our truck drivers, the economy would come to a standstill. To move 10.5 billion tons of freight annually requires over 3.6 million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks and over 3.5 million truck drivers. It also takes almost 39 billion gallons of diesel fuel to move all of that freight. Simply – without trucks, America stops.” from the ATA website
Notice that we are talking 3.5 million drivers…..rouund up the number of losses to 5000 and divide by 3.5 x 10^6 = 0.00143
That’s right ladies and gentlemen >>>> 0.1 %
<bb
So you’re saying its a bloodbath?
No ma’am.
If we extend the 1 month loss to a whole year, we would still only have lost under 2% of all the truck driving jobs in the US.
I would rather it be a gain of 2% and certainly wouldn’t want to be a driver who lost their job.
However, that is not a “bloodbath”
<bb
Great points “bb in GA”. Your statistical analysis shows that the initially devastating-appearing numbers are relatively insignificant. Yes, we all hate to see anyone lose a job; but the relatively small numbers reported could be explained by seasonal changes.
Good catch bb in GA. I do a lot of driving so often get behind truck (drat!) with almost everyone of them advertising a ‘better’ job. This article is another in a series of liberal fear mongering by SHTF, unfortunatley. A very good catch on your part for a correct perspective on the numbers.
Thanks.
bb in GA. Good find. Good math. Good conclusion. Thanks.
trucking is a dead end gig. your sure to be poor being a driver. it is at the point you can get a shipping recieving job is a warehouse close to home and punch out at 5. make the same $ no piss tests. they are desperate for drivers and the help they get is more liability than asset. its doomed.
Why does everyone Laugh at and Hate Farmers and Trucks?
Can anyone explain to me WHY?:
* Everyone in the city laughs at, belittles, makes fun of Farmers. Farmers are the butt of many jokes. (The marrying your sister/cousin jokes get very old.)
* People disdain the “evil” trucks. The city people disdain “dirty” truck drivers, “dirty” black smoke big trucks. Cities across America and many many states like California actively go after truck drivers with police/fines. Trucks are often banned from parking lots, city roads, driving in certain lanes, parking on side streets. The communities ban jake air brakes etc. Everyone hates trucks and looks at them as a “problem”. Lawyers LOVE going after truck companies. Police love going after truck drivers.
* * But EVERYTHING a city person eats was Grown, Raised, Harvested, by a Farmer, Who is the butt of “eco friendly-green-clean”, Tesla drivers city persons, jokes.
* * Almost Everything a city person uses/eats was brought to that city by truck. Even if the item brought in by Ship or Train, a truck was used to get the item to store.
If you take away Farmers.
If you take away Trucks.
People in cities begin dying in two to three weeks.
(This is why you Must prep. Everyone should prep.)
I dare you well educated eco minded Leftist to live in a “clean, green”, city without “dirty” unkempt Farmers and “dirty” polluting Trucks. Let’s see how long you survive in your Leftist-Clean-Green utopia. You wil begin dying in weeks. In 12 months 90% of you would be dead.
Some believe this is the VERY reason authorities are trying to get most of the population into the Big Cities. Their Plan: Get everyone into the Big City. People are easier to Control/Watch, with technology. Cut off the electricity, no water pumps. Blockade the Roads from trucks. The authorities sit back and watch everyone die.
There is a reason no one except Genghis Khan was successful in conquering Afgahnistan. Terrain. Few Large cities. Spread out population. (And also a fighting spirit of the mountain people). Genghis Khan succeeded because he killed everyone and everything. Everyonone after him has failed winning a war there.
ALL Cities are Death Traps. Without Electricity, Trucks, money, you will DIE in a modern Big city within weeks.
Cities are VERY vulnerable. Cities are also dangerous. Big city dwellers are dangerous/violent. Do your family a favor. Leave Big City while you still can.
I bet C.W. McCall never saw this coming….So we crashed the gate doin’ 98 with a thousand screamin’ trucks…and eleven long haired friends of Jesus in a chartreuse micro bus ~
I was an OTR driver for 23 years.
I logged over 2 million miles over my 23 year career as an OTR driver.
Freight has been shipped via railway for many years.
Even when shipped via railway,the LTL guys (less than truckload) have to go to the yards and pick up the freight to deliver to customers.
Several trucking companies have went out of business or been bought out by larger trucking companies over the past 15 years,this is nothing new.
I had 14 years seniority with a trucking company when they sold out to a larger trucking company,it happens,and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it,but quit and go elsewhere,or swallow your pride and stay; I swallowed my pride and stayed with them for 9 years before finally retiring.
J.D. Rockefeller/Standard Oil and crew systematically bought up US railways to dismantle them in order to orchestrate a enormous increase in oil consumption through road construction and moving freight by truck. The goal was to increase oil consumption so that a handful of the oil barrons and associated industries garnered phenomenal wealth and power. It was a colossal long term strategic blunder by this nation, our abhorrent political and business “leadership”, and a degenerate apathetic populace. Don’t think for a second that keeping the trucks running is a given – it’s not. Also, don’t think you, your kids, and your grandkids are going to be eating long into the future, you’re NOT. You are going to starve to death by the billions, beginning very soon friends. Live it up.
comments censored
This article didn’t mention the implementation of driverless trucks. These trucks are replacing both drivers and older-model trucks. They are driven by AI (computers) over wireless connections. In some states, they are the majority of trucks on the roads now.
People are not being told about this because the powers pushing this takeover of the food supply don’t want to give people a chance to thwart their intentions for full-spectrum control of all aspects of food and water supply. Look into this, especially if you’re a truck driver who’s recently lost your job; then share what you’ve learned with your friends and neighbors.
Experts say that all truck drivers are going to be replaced by switching to self-driving trucks in the near future.
I predict some bad traffic accidents.
Not sure where this information is coming from. I live in Florida and there is such a shortage of drivers, one company just paid to have my friends license reinstated (that he had lost in a DUI) because they needed drivers that badly. I do not know a single trucking company here in Florida that isn’t hiring.
This is some pretty shitty reporting, if you can even call it that. There is a SHORTAGE of drivers nationwide. EVERYWHERE I look I see signs for CDL drivers wanted. Especially in the oilfield/energy industry. STOP with the BS doom and gloom already!
Trucks are the life blood of commerce. Every thing that has made USA great and powerful is being eliminated. I still can’t believe “red flag law”. I am glad I am an old man with one foot in the grave. I keep telling God “come and get me!” I guess the new generation is getting the country they want. “Happy trails to you, until we meet again………
This is just a drop in the bucket of the millions of truckers out there. The trucking business is cuthroat and dog eat dog, feast or famine.
Thousands of big carriers overhire, and their drivers spend days on end driving 200 miles that day or laid over at a truckstop the next. How they make a profit is keep them on the road for a month at a time. The drivers are routinely lied to, many companies have cameras focused right on the driver, they can’t even pick their noses without being wrote-up. It produces a lot of anger in some drivers. They strive to get a couple years experience to get a good trucking job in a smaller carrier with more dedicated runs,
These drivers, to the carrier, are just Just-in-case drivers, They use people on an industrial scale. You’d hafta be in the industry to know the depth of how these guys are used. They are dispensible tools. The laid off ones mentioned are just over-hires. These trucking companies are run by the seat of their executive pants.
The old truckers said this 35 years ago ! When the trucking industry was turned over( by the federal government) to inept inexperienced (and unconstitutional !) Bureaucrats that did not have a clue what they were trying to fix ! It was instantly obvious to the older truckers that we were headed for an awesome disaster ! It has arrived! THIS WAS SAID HUNDREDS OF TIMES ON THE ROAD BUT POLITICIANS HAD ALREADY STOPPED UP THEIR EARS BY LUNITICS LIKE MADD MOTHERS AGAINST EVERTHING! THESE MADD MOMS HAD THEIR HEART SET ON PUNISHING THE ENTIRE TRUCKING INDUSTRY! THEY DID AND NOW WE HAVE THE RESULTS! WE ALL SCREAMED “IF IT AINT BROKE DONT TRY TO FIX IT !” BUT THEY TRYED ANYWAY LOL!! ! If they (politicians) were smart ( AND THEY CANNOT BE UNLESS THEY WERE X TRUCKERS 🙁 AND THERE IS NOT ONE TRUCKER AMONG THEM!)) They will hire several thousand old truckers to straighten out this mess!! Cause we do it every day on the roads of our nation anyway! However “WISDOM is known by all HER Children” !!