For over a year now, online shopping has accounted for more retail purchases than those in traditional brick and mortar stores. From even that point of dominance, there are some reports that online shopping surged as much as 248% at the end of May. That’s drastically changed supply chains around America, and it’s one of the reasons why the freight industry in general, which has been given the attention it needs to stay operational throughout the pandemic, has continued to stay so stable, and even grow during a time that other industries have languished.

Where are the Bottlenecks in America’s Supply Chain?

While it’s true that America’s been short on trucking manpower for some time, there are additional reports that overall demand for truckers has decreased, thanks to a shift in supply chain demand. As mentioned in previous articles on our site, global demand for gas and petroleum products has diminished greatly, so much so that tanker traffic is nearing an all time low in the states. This shift has in effect counteracted the global increase in online shopping. Even still, packages from some retailers and geographical locations are still slated to reply months after their expected delivery date. So what gives? 

Warehouses are Still Getting Up to Speed

In some areas, truckers are effectively waiting for warehouses to increase efficiency enough to deal with the new normal level of input and output. Warehouse reconfiguration, the integration of robot technology, and always-on scanning are just some of the ways that warehouses are trying to meet the new demand, but it’s not an instantaneous adjustment.

Semi-Truck Drivers’ Routes Are Less Efficient As a Result

Empty trucks are a big problem all across North America at the moment. There have been reports of  Canadian carriers driving empty trucks to the U.S. to pick up food items to transport back north, said Stephen Laskowski, president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance. Normally, they’d be full of manufactured goods from Canada to deliver to the U.S., but according to Laskowski, the demand has shifted in a way that that simply isn’t feasible. Hiccups like this have a widespread effect on the trucking industry. In one place, driving empty trucks might result in more total miles needing to be driven in one particular area, which can drive up trucker’s average pay per mile (which is an effect we’re starting to see in the majority of States.

Where Truckers Have Been Finding Help

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has expanded its national emergency declaration as of the middle of last March in order to provide hours-of-service regulatory relief to commercial vehicle drivers transporting emergency relief supplies in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The “FMCSA is providing additional regulatory relief to our nation’s commercial drivers to get critically important medical supplies, food, and household goods to Americans in need,” FMCSA Acting Administrator Jim Mullen said March 18. “The nation’s truck drivers are on the front lines of this effort and are critical to America’s supply chain. We will continue to support them and use our authority to protect the health and safety of the American people.”

Expansion to the FMCSA’s hours of service include:

• Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19
• Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation, and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants
• Food, paper products and other groceries for emergency restocking of distribution centers or stores
• Immediate precursor raw materials — such as paper, plastic or alcohol—that are required and to be used for the manufacture of essential items
• Fuel
• Equipment, supplies and persons needed to establish and manage temporary housing or quarantines

To make sure those drivers who are on the road have a safe place to stop, shop and rest, the National Association of Truck Stop Owners has said its members intend to remain open and continue to serve the professional drivers who are transporting supplies and goods in support of COVID-19 emergency relief. The American supply chain changes in efficiency every single day, but the American government has continued to roll out support for truckers at a rate that’s kept supply chains largely intact, and the trucking industry stable.

If you’re interested in helping important supplies reach American citizens, contact us for more information about how to start financing your new semi-truck.