Why it's taking so long for cars to be shipped here

https://jalopnik.com/heres-why-its-taking-so-long-to-get-cars-shipped-across-1846899281

 

We make tools overseas and everything is backed up. COVID slowed production, not there's not enough containers and ships to get the backlog here. It's affecting almost everything manufactured, even domestically. Not to mention how supply & demand (plus inflation) is boosting the commodity markets.

Wild economic times right now.

 

Putting ocean freight aside, our domestic trucking situation is rather dire right now. It's gotten worse since last year during COVID and there isn't any end in sight. It was a few weeks ago, but for dry vans out of Laredo there were 11 loads for every 1 available truck. For flat beds that number was something crazy, 45ish loads for every 1 available truck. FTL shipments that normally ran me around $2.5k last year have doubled in price and I was happy to pay them to get stuff loaded and moving.

Crazy times.

 

I’ve had a class A CDL for 20 years, haven’t used it for a paycheck in 16. In the last year I’ve been getting several telephone and email solicitations from trucking companies, some offers hard to believe.

The trucking industry is in rough shape!

 

Stevedore on strike or threatening strikes don't help.

IMO the blockage on the Suez will be an excuse for much longer than the actual effect.

 

Seems like every trucking company is looking for drivers these days. I see the several states are ending the program of enhanced unemployment benefits. Maybe that will help convince people to get back to work. Which will solve part of the problem, but the lack of rail capacity and clogged up terminal yards will remain.

 

I hope so man. I don’t know anyone personally who could have a good job but is choosing to avoid one because unemployment has been too lucrative - but I’ve always had an aversion to laziness.

 

Suez blockage only affects Europe-Asia trade and that cleared weeks ago

 

True, but already hearing about delays in shipments (have nothing to do with the route) due to "Suez"

 

That's assuming some of those ships don't pick up cargo in Europe and proceed to North America. I don't know if they do, but if anyone is really interested, I can. Of course it can also screw up ships going from North America to Europe as well.

It's a mess from stem to stern. No pun intended.

 

Major driver shortage, it’s so bad Walmart has a sign on bonus and still can’t get drivers. Drivers are tired of getting screwed over, mileage pay sucks. They need to pay by the hour.