What Would Happen If Truck Drivers Went on Strike?

What would happen if truck drivers went on strike

Running a trucking company is rewarding, but challenging.  If the entire BYX team decided to call it quits and sell ice cream on the beach in the Bahamas, however, our customers would be less than thrilled. Just one trucking company hitting the breaks would be enough to slow down the daily operations of dozens of businesses. Imagine if truck drivers went on strike nationwide. 

Life as we know it would grind to a halt. To appreciate how important the logistics industry is to our economy, let’s look at the timeline. 

If truck drivers went on strike, problems would start within 24 hours 

Day One

Once truck drivers quit, it wouldn’t take long to start noticing the effects. Within one day, gas shortages would start. The most popular fuel stations need gas deliveries multiple times a day. They’d run out in just a few hours, leading to traffic-stopping lines at any station still stocked. 

Hospitals, nursing homes, and any other facilities that rely on medical supplies to function would be in immediate trouble. Although they’ve likely prepared for emergencies, they would still have to resort to extreme measures to conserve their remaining supplies. Syringes, catheters, and other products needed to save lives would be reserved for those in critical care. 

The manufacturing industry would also fly into a panic. Many manufacturers, like those in the tech industry, produce goods at the last minute to avoid making more than they can sell. Without any reserves to fall back on, they wouldn’t be able to continue production for long. 

After just a day, problems would escalate

Gas shortages would get even worse after 24 hours. The prices would skyrocket and become unaffordable for most. Without food deliveries, grocery stores would begin running out of staple items. Food shortages would begin, as would hoarding behavior.

It would be similar to the toilet paper fiasco during the 2020 pandemic, only with milk and eggs. Companies would be forced to cease operations, and panic over potential layoffs would ensue. 

By day three, gas would be impossible to find

Since gas stations would be completely out of fuel, no one would be able to get to work. Commerce would stop almost completely. ATMs and banks would run out of cash. If trash truck drivers went on strike too, trash would already start piling up in cities and suburbs alike. Waste products can spread infectious diseases, so widespread illness would become likely. 

Mass panic would hit in just a week

After a week, railways, planes, and container ships would cease operations. At grocery stores, the shelves would be bare. Bottled water and other essential goods would be gone, and parents in need of baby formula would face dire circumstances. 

Speaking of dire, with no gas, it wouldn’t just be passenger vehicles that would be stuck in park. Ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars would be grounded, too. Dialing 911 would become useless. Hospitals would also begin running out of those essentials we mentioned earlier, and oxygen reserves as well. Clean water would become a concern, as tap water supply would begin to run dry. 

A month after truck drivers went on strike, society would crumble

What would happen if truck drivers went on strike after a month

Without fresh water, people would have to choose between dehydration and drinking potentially contaminated water. Gastrointestinal illnesses would proliferate, but our healthcare system wouldn’t be able to help much. Essentially, we’d have regressed to desperate survival methods. Bear Grylls might do alright, but the rest of us? RV camping did not prepare us for an apocalypse. 

While having an emergency kit is a great idea, there’s no reason to panic about a truck driver strike. We sharing this to give you appreciation, not anxiety. Truck drivers make the world go round, and we’re so grateful for their hard work. Learn more about what it’s like working in logistics, and reach out if you’re interested in working for BYX.

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