5 Effects of Truckpocalypse - Copy

Each day, nearly every single person in the United States is depending on the trucking industry to continue chugging along at its normal pace.

In fact, the US economy relies on truck drivers to deliver 10 billion tons of essentially ever commodity that is consumed, which accounts for $671 billion worth of goods being transported each year.

But what would happen if one day a “Truckpocalypse” occurred and the entire nation suddenly found itself without the services of the trucking industry?

Would there merely be more room on the highways and freeways for frustrated motorists?

Perhaps at first.

But there would be far-reaching consequences that people may not fully comprehend.

Transportation
The country’s busiest gas stations require 200,000-300,000 gallons of fuel every month. And to keep their supply levels up, they need multiple deliveries every day to meet this demand. This means that if there were no trucks to deliver the fuel, a gas station could run out of supplies in as little as a few hours.

Manufacturers
The major manufacturing companies in the US range from computer makers such as Compaq and Dell, to leading automakers such as Ford and General Motors. The companies rely on supplies and shipments on a daily basis in order to keep their operation in service. Without this, manufacturers would begin to experience component shortages and manufacturing delays in as little as three hours.

Healthcare Industry
The transportation of syringes, catheters and other urgent medical supplies are life-saving materials that are delivered by trucks on daily basis. Without these deliveries, hospitals and nursing homes would exhaust their food supplies within 24 hours.

Food Industry
Americans spend billions of dollars for groceries every day, many of which are brought to supermarkets via truck deliveries. In the matter of 24-48 hours, many grocery stores would begin to experience shortages.

Waste Removal
Just a few days into a Truckpocalypse scenario, the nation would be surrounded by garbage and face serious health and environmental consequences. These uncollected and deteriorating waste products create a rich breeding ground for microorganism, insects and vermin. And hazardous materials and medical waste would present contaminants along with infectious diseases into our environment.

With these services being suspended, along with many others, it would cause immediate and widespread problems that could potentially run the country into the ground. Fortunately, there is no impending Truckpocalypse to fear. But it’s important to remember and understand just how heavily the trucking industry is relied on for people to enjoy their lives and society to function.