The Biden Administration appears to be employing a strategy to unclog supply chains that includes persuading West Coast ports to extend hours of operation and using the bully pulpit.
Recent remarks coming out of the White House appear to level criticism against America’s largest retailers. Companies such a Walmart. Costco, and Target, among others, heard what many agree was a not-so-subtle threat from Pres. Joe Biden.
“For the positive impact to be felt all across the country and by all of you at home, we need major retailers who ordered the goods and the freight movers who take the goods from the ships to factories and to stores to step up as well,” Biden reportedly said. “If the private sector doesn’t step up, we’re going to call them out.”
Although the president’s speech vocalized a determination to fix what experts see as a dysfunctional supply chain, U.S. Department of Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg has been on family leave since mid-August as the crisis escalated. Big box retailers had already hired private cargo ships to transport goods and materials to alternative ports as Long Beach and Los Angeles struggle to overcome record-breaking delays.
In defense of America’s largest retailers, many possess the most efficient logistical capabilities because they offer top salaries to qualified CDL holders to power their private fleet operations. The White House’s use of the bully pulpit appears misguided given these corporations have exceeded expectations in getting products to communities.
But the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles appear to be suffering the worst bottleneck in the supply chain. A reported 81 cargo ships were recently unable to dock and offload for weeks in some cases. That figure has increased week-over-week as the bottleneck grows. To mitigate delays, the Biden Administration recently announced a plan that involves the pair of ports opening 24-7.
“Traditionally, our ports have only been open during the week Monday through Friday, and generally closed down at nights and weekends. By staying open seven days a week through the night and on the weekends, the Port of Los Angeles will open over 60 extra hours a week,” Biden reportedly said. “In total, that will almost double the number of hours the port is open for business from earlier this year,”
On paper, extending port hours seems like a viable solution. The California ports are responsible for upwards of 40 percent of all container shipments that enter the U.S. But the Port of Long Beach tried his approach recently and discovered few, if any, truckers should up overnight to haul loads. The Biden Administration is also failing to acknowledge that the port logjam is a victim and other issues in the supply chain. Reports indicate that 98 percent of Southern California warehouses are at, or near, total capacity. Until stockpiles move to their final destination, there isn’t enough storage space to house offloaded goods and materials. There’s simply no escaping the fact America needs more truck drivers to restore the supply chains.
Sources: ttnews.com, nypost.com
What a farce. California disallowing older trucks and independent contractors is why there’s a backlog. The push for being open more hours is empty BS so people think they’re doing something.
This is all by design and it’s high time people understand that.
When the government put their nose in trucking that’s when it all started. We have to drive when they say we can and go to bed when they say we need sleep. Government shouldn’t be able to tell someone they are tired. One size don’t fit all. This damn ELD control everything, government have took the fun out of trucking, they think every accident is a truckers fault. I get it some asshole truckers do drive crazy and too fast when they are caught get them off the road for good, make an example out of them and word will get around fast.
The big companies are controlling the law makers and the stockholders, they make rules to suit them, if you get them And the ELD out things will open up, this thing of putting your inexperience drivers out here ALL is going to break out. All the schooling in the world is not going to prepare them for what really go on out here. They will not stay, because it’s hell out here on wheels
This is a great opportunity for us independent owner operators we should be getting asking for top dollar for loads . No one should be pulling any loads for less than $4.50 a mile but the. Brokers will still put loads out for $2 – $3.00 like for the last 20 years. Everything is going up but freight rate food to gas. Ups is going up on their shipping rate in 2022 so drivers it’s time we raise the bar they will pay it now cause of the issue that’s going on and we need to make it be that way from here on into the future. Now they see how much they really need trucks. Let get what we deserve it been way to long. Brokers made their money now it time for us drivers yo make our. This all happened for a reason drivers. The ball is in our court. Let’s score big. Shame on you if you’re hauling less than $4 a mile especially doing this time of our service.
I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE!!!!! IT’S OUR TIME DRIVERS!! LET’S DO IT…NOW!!!!!
I SECOND THE MOTION on the table!!!
Your absolutely right. I have in the last 6 months have turned down job offers that are in my view “LOW BALL OFFERS” for wages. I’ve been offered wages that I was making 20 years ago, I will sit and wait for the right offer and hopefullly these CEO’s will wake up and take a pay cut themselves. Give it to the ones who are in the trenches doing the labor.
100% Agreed. Drivers!!!!! Time to do whats gotta be done. Its been said over and over, TRUCKS RUN THIS COUNTRY NON STOP. Not railroads, not planes, not government. While everybody else shut down with COVIIIID, We drivers kept rolling.Stand up for this country and ride. This is the PURPOSE that is missing in this industry. THEY NEED PEOPLE LIKE US. Men and women to ride like we know
If California got rid of AB5 for Truckers, O/Os could take loads in California. The restrictions on independent drivers in California is ridiculous. This is of their own making. And, like DS said, no one should be hauling for under 4.00 a mile. I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out where the driver shortage is. Tons of other drivers feel the same. There isn’t a driver shortage. We all know this. There is a truck shortage. There is a truck parts shortage. There may be a teamsters shortage but there isn’t a driver shortage.
There’s a truck parking shortage, but that doesn’t seem important enough to put in a so-called “infrastructure ” bill.
The WH and all the idiots in charge think by bullying people, they can get more accomplished. The fact is this Jackwagon Joe… I’m not working any harder than necessary. Rates haven’t improved. Our fuel costs have tripled. And if our truck breaks down right now, we could be down for 3 to 4 months or longer, like other drivers we know. This Administration created this disaster. They can undo all of it, and they know it.
We don’t have a driver shortage, big companies want more driver’s in there truck’s for them to make money, but we do have a parking shortage that needs to be addressed
Wait until the new AB law in California getting rid of owner operators kicks in!! Most of the port drivers are owner ops. I think this whole thing is great!!! Now you are really going to have a driver shortage. And watch, all the safety crud is going to go out the window. The weight limits on trucks, the hours of service. Suddenly it will all be waived to benefit others, but never the drivers. For the Whitehouse to start bullying drivers in a round about way, is dirty. Maybe if you gave a darn about us in the first place, there would be drivers. Who wants to drive when everyone is against you and trying to constantly take your hard earned money with high fuel, taxes, fees, insurance, fines, maintenance, parts , regastration, permits. In California the laws are a joke. 55 mph in wide open areas! You can’t do this and you can’t do that. A fine for this a fine for that!! Always some official trying to weigh you down. This country and others around the world maybe finally are getting a lesson learned. Leave the truckers alone and let us do our jobs.
I agree with previous posters comments. I’d also like to add, one of the biggest problems running into the ports or L.A. is lack of truck stops and parking !! And the problem continues as soon as you hit I-40 or I-10 to head out of metro areas and then there is the ridiculous speed limit off 55mph in all of California for big trucks which is a hazard in of itself. How about fixing those problems @@ ! !
As usual a government created problem. Now looking to blame the private sector. As a O-O with 15 years experience, running when HOS was lifted due to COVID, I realized it should always be like this. HOS should be dependent on how much experience you have because I do believe rookie drivers need the most regulation. Government passed 1 trillion dollar infrastructure bill ZERO dollars towards truck parking SMH.
The biggest problem is the brokers are not paying the percentage of the load they claim. They hide behind the ship lines and claim every ship line is different but they won’t show us how much they get paid. I found out the hard way when I take a certified empty ftt try I’m the port to be loaded in my hometown 240 miles away the broker would send me to get paper and drop off on the way home for a extra $295.00 for the day. The shipper wanted me to do it every day with my own trailer and offered me &1,400 the same as they were paying my broker. Where’s the fair split? To end this issue drivers need to be paid honestly for the fees the brokers receive then the supply chain issue will go away. Any broker who refuses to disclose what they get should be shut down.
For those that do not seem to be aware of it federal law/regulations require brokers to release all info and invoicing for every load they receive and assign to a truck.
But you must request such from the broker before the law can be used by you. Make your request in writing.
Also for those of you who have never bothered to check things be sure and read CFR title 49 and other sections pertaining to trucking.
Truckers with knowledge og ALL federal laws regarding trucking DO make more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
It’s an awesome time to be an O/O!
Total gravy freight. I’m making $6 per mile plus on light dry loads. The rates are crazy good for in house. Even the broker loads are at $3 +
RheumTrucker where are you leased on at? Hook a brother up!
Yeah baby, in house, direct clients is the only way to go. Lets have some fun boyz and girls. Time to take this industry back. Only we can do it. NOT THEM
Im a spot on a nat’s ass. O/O for 6yrs 3 trucks total. 34yrs in transportation. The older generation Latino, Black,White real truck drivers, old school, taught the ways. The older ICC rules had it to a tee. We ran within our time frame. We slept when needed. Unloaded our own trailers at consignee. 45000lbs on the floor. Those days had purpose, qouted from a black gentleman from another article. California wrote their own wish of existence. Lets watch them squirm. Keep changing regulations, and heres your sign. The ELD is the second worst labor tool introduced in this country besides the bullying men and women took 100yrs ago. This is what regulation change does to society. Worst administration we’ve ever seen, all over this country.