In times of chaos, the American logistics industry steps up.
The logistics professionals, shippers, warehouse operators, dispatchers, brokers, and most importantly, truck drivers have stepped up to provide an orchestrated effort to ensure the safety and well being of our country.
This week, the heroic efforts of the American trucking and logistics industry should be obvious to anyone that walks into a store one day and sees empty shelves, only to come back the next day and find them filled again. This happened to me a few times this week. From my family, thank you.
Here at FreightWaves, we have been taking the COVID-19 story very seriously for months now, mostly because we have been monitoring how it has impacted cargo flows and economic data throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. We did a TV special on it a few weeks ago (you can also listen to the podcast), but even still, it seemed like a far-away reality until this past week.
Whether it was the NBA suspending its season, Tom Hanks being diagnosed with COVID-19, or Donald Trump’s March 11, primetime address to the nation, reality seemed to set in for everyone on Thursday.
We have been taking precautions for weeks at FreightWaves by stocking up on cleaning supplies and instituting more aggressive cleaning measures, even eliminating all travel. Even still, it didn’t feel like enough.
On Thursday, we sent the majority of our staff home and have plans to do more over the next week. Over time, I suspect the folks will only come in for TV or radio production purposes. Our goal is to stay true to our mission of providing information and context about the market. We also recognize that with the new work-from-home environments taking hold across the industry, logistics professionals are going to want to be engaged and informed. We hope you will consider us a resource during this period.
FreightWaves TV is broadcasting live coverage of the freight market from our studios in Chattanooga and the talented crew is always excited to receive comments from fans during live shows. You can watch the show on TV.FreightWaves.com, Apple TV, or Roku. You can also listen to audio podcasts on FreightCasts, which can be downloaded on any podcast platform, including Apple. We want to know what you are seeing or concerned about and you can comment while watching the shows or send messages to the hosts. They love that.
Of course, our editorial team, many of which work in their homes, are always looking for interesting stories to tell and love when they get your perspective. Feel free to reach out to them and share stories of things that are happening on the ground, good or bad. Hopefully, over the next few months, we will get to write many stories of the triumph of the American logistics and supply-chain industry in keeping America, and the world, moving.
We are all in this together. This is a scary time and no one really knows what is going to happen.
For us, this is a labor of love. We are logistics professionals and all have great pride in the efforts of our industry right now. The freight industry is the always-responder, involved in relief, recovery, and replenishment efforts throughout natural disasters, weather emergencies and now the coronavirus pandemic.
We want to tell your stories and hopefully share our thoughts with you. So whether you are driving around or bored sitting at home, consider us your partner and biggest fans.
Dave
Look…mass bankruptcies are coming for those with too much debt. Only the strongest of us with profits and cash in the bank will survive. This is good for those that prepared as WE will survive and prosper and those that didn’t prepare or borrowed excessively will cede the market to those that are strong. Truckers and carriers UNITE!!!!
Roadrunner
James,
You 100% RIGHT ON.👏👏👏👏👏👏
DL
Freightwaves team …. thank you for being the sounding board to keep us in the know. Things change fast but I know God is in control of it all. Stay true to proving true, unbiased information but most of all, do the right thing for your employees.
Joseph paolo
I am a proud truck driver of 16 years as my family has been it the trucking business for over 7 decades I have seen it go up and down laws came and gone and I know the risk of what we all face in the time of are country’s need we will do what we can to help.. As a kid I seen and heard people downgrade truckers but it cause they didn’t understand for some of us it’s not a job it’s are life… All of the people in this country need to remember everyone is apart of making this country work and we all need to pull together to help. Everyone’s job is important even if you think it’s just a dumb job to work at McDonald’s remember with out you we as driver’s need you and others like you in all business to keep this all going. It was once said WITH OUT TRUCKS AMERICA STOPS. It should be without people america ends. So I would like to say thanks to everyone. And to Mr. Trump no matter if people like you or not. You are are countries hope in coming to are aid in finding a way to help us in this time of need. This is not about black or white or Mexican or Asian this is about one thing the human race. And are right to live…god bless us all…
Robert G. Cline
Good work you guys!
stephen webster
We have been told in canada that our medical insurance may not cover us if we were to get C19 in the u S or overseas. the gov of Ontario or the O T A . has not said that these truck drivers will be looked after based on past actions of the Ontaro medical system and insurance companies including mine . I believe you have insurance untill you need it. I have camped out at queens park since jan 24 camped out protesting fords dumping people om to the street or into homeless shelters when insurance companies do not cover injury l claims or houses condemned after wind, fire, Many truck drivers have been using homeless shelters as a base with no running the engines overnight and lack of safe parking.
Erik Dewitt
I like to thank all my fellow trucker brothers and sisters for being strong an providing goods for all families just be safe an God bless I’m out here with u all on the road as well
James
I hate to say it but let them starve. We have been yelling at a brick wall for years and no one listened. Now suspension of HOS just because people are hysterical? What about putting myself in stressful situations like rush hour or storms etc. Why should I be more exposed out on the road than the idiots working from home? No one cared before now all of a sudden we are the saviors of society? I don’t think so.
I hate to sound so jaded but let the corporate leaders, politicians, heads of the ATA, FMCSA and so on drive the trucks to save society now. I quit.
Roadrunner
James,
You 100% RIGHT ON.👏👏👏👏👏👏