Trucking Industry Trade Group Warns of Supply Chain Disruptions

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Executive Director of the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) operating as "Truckers.com" issued a warning today that various political actions at Federal and state levels may quickly escalate into a supply chain crisis for Americans.

"We are currently watching three issues that may result in a major national supply chain crisis for Americans," SBTC Executive Director James Lamb said today.

IMPEACHMENT

"As the House of Representatives is expected to vote to impeach the President tomorrow, this could very well set off a chain of events that could result in nationwide riots that will impede truckers' ability to make deliveries of products for Americans' consumption," Lamb said. "While there is sure to be a backlash by the President's supporters after the Democrat-controlled House presumably votes to impeach, we are more concerned about probable violent reactions of the Left when the Republican-controlled Senate expectedly votes to acquit," he added. "We should expect to hear chants of "No justice, No peace," and see pictures of overturned cars on fire," Lamb predicted.

GUNFIGHT AT THE CULPEPER CORRAL.

"We are very concerned that the current gun control versus gun rights controversy may quickly escalate into armed conflict reminiscent of the Civil War as the Democrat Governor threatens to send in the National Guard to enforce new Democrat-pushed gun laws and county governments are declaring their municipalities as 'Second Amendment Sanctuaries,'" Lamb stated. "Most concerning is the possible showdown in Culpeper, Virginia, in which the Sheriff is gearing up for armed conflict by preparing to 'deputize' residents to form a 'militia' to thwart the state's enforcement of new laws slated for January 2020," he added. Lamb says his trade group will be monitoring this situation and the result may be a warning for truckers to steer clear of the "war zone." If a large scale conflict ensues, Lamb says he is concerned about typical war time tactics of disrupting the other side's supply chain and his group will be warning through its 25,000 member "Trucker Lives Matter" Facebook group and other social media to avoid delivering to the state to protect truckers' lives.

Lamb fears the conflict in the one county in Virginia could escalate and spiral out of control.

ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICE CAPACITY CRISIS

Lamb says that while all eyes are focused on impeachment and the gun rights controversy in Virginia, most Americans are unaware that today marks the first day of nationwide enforcement of a new regulation that requires all truckers log their hours of service electronically through Electronic Logging Devices ("ELDs"). "Today is the implementation date for "phase two" of a two-phase process to move truckers from paper to electronic logs."

"While small motor carriers and independent truckers were required to make the switch two years ago, today 'hard enforcement' will commence on Drivers employed by larger carriers who were previously grandfathered if they were using a substandard version of electronic logs," Lamb said. Today drivers who have failed to switch from Automatic On-Board Recording Device ("AOBRDs") to ELDs will be placed out-of-service by law enforcement around the country. "This second wave of ELD enforcement will cause significant supply chain disruptions as we head into the Christmas holiday season and the dead of winter," Lamb said. "Americans should expect late holiday deliveries and prepare for disappointment on Christmas morning," he added. "And worse, we predict disruptions in home heating oil deliveries up North, which will cause significant hardships for the American people."

Lamb says his group has been warning Federal officials from the bureaucrats at the United States Department of Transportation ("USDOT") to Congressional committees to the President himself. "Washington is distracted at the moment and our calls for delays, suspension of the ELD rule, and a moratorium on enforcement-- at least until Summer, have fallen upon deaf ears," the frustrated group's Executive Director said. "It would appear they will have to learn this was a mistake the hard way."

Lamb further cites the latest USDOT large truck fatality rates that show rather than save 26 lives per year as USDOT had promised and make truck driving safer for truckers, ELDs have taken us "out of the frying pan and into the fire" with the highest death rate in 30 years. "USDOT does not seem to want to admit that their ELD rule has caused more deaths than it has saved," Lamb asserted. He points to the stats which show 2.4 occupants of large trucks are now getting killed on the road daily. "If only the US Government cared enough to proclaim with us: "TRUCKER LIVES MATTER," he added.

Lamb suggests the three issues, when intertwined, are destined to cause a "Super Supply Chain Crisis" all at about the same time if the players do not quickly stand down. When it comes to winning political war games such as the three currently in play, Lamb says he is reminded of the moral of the 1983 American Cold War science fiction film "WarGames: "The only winning move is not to play."

SOURCE Small Business in Transportation Coalition