Will there be a run on grocery stores?

With the advent of a trucker strike do you think there will be a run on the grocery stores in the U.S.A.? With a 3 day supply of food on the grocery stores shelves at any given time how quick do you think store shelves will empty?

I remember the store shelves emptying quickly when a hurricane was headed our way. How much of a warning will we have before the trucker strike takes place and what foods and supplies should we stock up on? Rik Riley

In normal conditions Dairy is twice weekly, and grocery and Haba, once a week. Produce varies. Grocery stores have a very minimal amount of space for back stock. Usually about enough to cover the weekly sales ads.

In a run the shelves are stripped of most things in about 5-12 hrs, so if you can't use flour and other staples and require half finished or preprepared food your out of luck.

I'm going to give a big tip here. If there is an outbreak of disease, only canned foods are suitable as they can be soaked in bleach solution, and marked with a perm marker. Same is good for MREs in a fully sealed outer pouch.


If it goes that bad and we don't see food drops in 24-36 hrs expect violence to erupt where ever the food has stopped. This won't be because they can't get it through it will be purely panic from those with nothing.

To stop this FEMA will need to use the EBS as soon as a problem shows. In testing we have found that no on seems to care as long as they have advance warning, and good communication with the population. The population on a whole will tend to pull together and even help govt along as long as they are informed in advance, and not lied to.


Generally we only see extreme reactions when officials are inept and have no clue what they are doing or going to do as in NO and katrina. If they lie all bets are off and the responders will likely become victims of the publics rage.

The whole key is: "People we have a problem and were working through it right now." Any doubt, any weakness like 'as soon as possible" and they will turn like wolves.

At the first hint that a trucking strike is a sure thing...

the commercial groceries and even the bulk buy stores will have about a 3 day lagtime until they won't be unloading anything at their receiving docks.

any trucks with freight will make their delivery, and then join the strike...

There are plenty of fast foods to get by on for several more days, until they bolt their front doors because they have long term contracts with delivery agents, or have their own in-house truck deliveries from their own district wharehouses.


This Trucking-Strike model, is more bark-than-bite, as the nation won't come to a screeching halt in a NY second- as the fearmongers assert.


there's a whole lotta, now non-working illegal immigrants who used to be employed in construction (before the housing bubble burst) that only need to have a truck with some cargo space to take the truckers place in delivering needed goods to hungry populations...

not even mentioning the gasoline tankers and the medical supply deliveries that cannot be impeded for even a 12 hour work stoppage.


think about it....

The problem is organizing a trucking strike. It can't be done. Company drivers can't strike, or they'll be fired. And trust me there are A LOT of incoming new drivers to replace them. I teach orientation for one of the major companies, and we can see 150+ new drivers a week. Independants can strike if they can afford to lose the money, but most of them can't. Even if they do, they're a pretty small portion of the industry. We have 9,000+ trucks, and a couple other companies have more than that.

I'm more concerned about the effects of a long-term trucker strike. Perishables will be lost, resulting in a significant price increase even when any strike is resolved. The cost of stables such as milk and eggs are expected to increase 30+% by this summer, and corn appears to be the new gold. Of course, since the cost of food is not linked to inflation, we should expect prices to escalate without any governmental interference.

As far as a run on the stores, here in Colorado we've had some major snow storms that have resulted in people being stuck at home for a week or more before being able to reach the supermarket. If we get sufficient warning, we do tend to make a visit to the stores prior to the bad weather.

I remember the last time we had a storm, there was a long delay before fresh fruit and vegetables arrived in the stores. But we never suffered any severe hardships. It would take a prolonged strike (several weeks) for the average consumer to worry.

Thanks for everyones response to what to do in case there is a run on the grocery stores. Do you think cities or rural areas would be hit the hardest if this would take place? How about medical supplies such as for diabetics and others who need essential medication? Do you think toilet paper would be in short supply? Rik Riley

You won't EVER see a long term trucker strike. It would shut down too many companies, and nothing would be left. My company has spent over $200,000 A DAY on fuel, just from trucks parked idling. That's NOT counting our trucks that are running up and down the road. The loss of confidence by the shippers, and the loss of money by the companies would be too great. As I said earlier it's probably not possible to even organize a strike. I know with my company any company driver that joined it would be fired pretty quick. Our O/O division is a very small portion of our fleet, but even they would have problems as they're contracted to my company. Most of them bought their trucks from us so they're still running freight for us and are dispatched by us.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Zaphod do you think there is a chance of independent truck drivers going on strike? You may know this, but what percentage of company truck drivers are there verses independent truck drivers? Do you think the National Guard would be called in if there ever was a trucker strike? Rik Riley





















[edit on 22-3-2008 by rikriley]

I don't have the exact numbers, but from everything I've seen the number of company drivers is much larger than the independants. As I said my company alone has roughly 9,000 company drivers, one of the other majors has almost double what we do. And that's not counting the ones that aren't considered majors but are much bigger than the mom and pop companies. There are a lot of independants out there, but it's much cheaper for most drivers to work as company drivers.

reply to post by St Udio


From what I hear the strike is going to start in a week or 2. I have lready began buying non perishable food items. If there is a strike , stores will limit the number of items you can buy. Better get some while you can, and stock up on a few 5 gallon cans of gas as truckers deliver the gas ..

reply to post by Zaphod58


Zaphod, are truckers paid by the mile or load or both? What do you see as a alternative solution then paying $4.00 plus for diesel fuel or is there one? If the democrats win in November what do you think will happen to diesel fuel prices? Rik Riley

Originally posted by Zaphod58
The problem is organizing a trucking strike. It can't be done. Company drivers can't strike, or they'll be fired. And trust me there are A LOT of incoming new drivers to replace them. I teach orientation for one of the major companies, and we can see 150+ new drivers a week. Independants can strike if they can afford to lose the money, but most of them can't. Even if they do, they're a pretty small portion of the industry. We have 9,000+ trucks, and a couple other companies have more than that.

It seems that the big companies would support a strike, if the company owns 3,000 trucks that cost $300 to fill a tank that is $900,000 in fuel costs for what 2 days of driving a rig 800-1200 miles.
If they supported the strike and after 3 weeks fuel prices were dropped then it would be worth it.
If a independant trucker spends $45,000-$60,000 a year on fuel for 1-2 trucks just imagine what it costs a major trucking company with 3,000 trucks.

[edit on 22-3-2008 by Nailer]

It's a complicated pay scale with my particular company. They're paid by the mile, but if they have stops in between shipper and receiver they get paid for those, if they unload they get paid for that, etc. But base pay is by the mile.

As for fuel prices, trucks are being required to switch over to Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel, which actually is going to give slightly LESS fuel mileage. But it burns cleaner so it's being mandated to switch. Low Sulfur Diesel has up to 500ppm sulfur, where U'___' has 15ppm, I think that's the difference.

SOMETHING has to be done about fuel prices. My company is slashing jobs and trucks wherever we can. It's not just the fuel though, it's the freight. Freight usually goes in cycles, where around the start of the year it drops way off, then bounces back up around this time of year. Last year it dropped off, and sort of bounced back, but this year it didn't. It's dropped way off for this time of year.

reply to post by Nailer


And what do you think is happening to them during the strike? Shippers are finding other ways to get freight moved, and they're not making any money. They're going to have to start slashing jobs even faster. Then when the strike ends, the shippers are going to say "You weren't there when we needed you, so we found another company that was, thanks but we're using them now." The whole key is getting the freight moved when they need it moved, and that isn't gonna happen if there's a strike.

I KNOW what it costs a big company. I see our idle counter every day. As I said before it can reach $200,000 A DAY on idling alone for my company. But the key is that we have always been reliable for our contracts, and we're debt free. So shippers have stuck with us with price changes. Yes fuel costs hurt us a lot, but a strike would hurt us a LOT more.

[edit on 3/22/2008 by Zaphod58]

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Nailer

 

And what do you think is happening to them during the strike? Shippers are finding other ways to get freight moved, and they're not making any money. They're going to have to start slashing jobs even faster. Then when the strike ends, the shippers are going to say "You weren't there when we needed you, so we found another company that was, thanks but we're using them now." The whole key is getting the freight moved when they need it moved, and that isn't gonna happen if there's a strike.

I KNOW what it costs a big company. I see our idle counter every day. As I said before it can reach $200,000 A DAY on idling alone for my company. But the key is that we have always been reliable for our contracts, and we're debt free. So shippers have stuck with us with price changes. Yes fuel costs hurt us a lot, but a strike would hurt us a LOT more.

[edit on 3/22/2008 by Zaphod58]

What hurts this country is people like you who are not willing to make a sacrifice , give up the big screen TV, American Idol,Survivor,dancing with the stars. If people want to change the way our country is run and show the Corporation that we are tired of constantly being raped/robbed at the gas pumps.
All big oil companies last year made profits put together of almost $500 -$700 Billion dollars,: Profit is after all expenses are accounted for the year
.So who owns who??

Yes, to BIG OIL companies we are no longer consumer but instead we are subjects, pay up or screw off. Big Oil motto: WE PUMP IT TO YOU.

[edit on 22-3-2008 by Nailer]

Don't you DARE tell me that I don't sacrifice!! HOW DARE YOU TELL ME HOW I LIVE MY LIFE!!! I have a couch and a loveseat for furniture. The only reason I have a COMPUTER is because my wife lives in another country and this is the cheapest way for us to communicate. And you have the GALL to tell me that I'm not willing to sacrifice anything?! Who the hell are YOU to tell ME about sacrifice?! I work my butt off to get by, and I am BARELY doing that. You know NOTHING about my life or what's going on.

You want to see hundreds of thousands of people put out of work? Then pray for your precious strike then. I hope you get it and then gloat about what a wonderful job you did putting everyone in the industry out of work.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
Don't you DARE tell me that I don't sacrifice!! HOW DARE YOU TELL ME HOW I LIVE MY LIFE!!! I have a couch and a loveseat for furniture. The only reason I have a COMPUTER is because my wife lives in another country and this is the cheapest way for us to communicate. And you have the GALL to tell me that I'm not willing to sacrifice anything?! Who the hell are YOU to tell ME about sacrifice?! I work my butt off to get by, and I am BARELY doing that. You know NOTHING about my life or what's going on.

You want to see hundreds of thousands of people put out of work? Then pray for your precious strike then. I hope you get it and then gloat about what a wonderful job you did putting everyone in the industry out of work.

Thats right even the Bankers will be out of a job as when transpotation of goods stops they will even feel the pain.

I know what it is to sacrifice , I run my own business and due to the economy business has slowed by almost 40% over a 4 month period, and Kraft mac and cheese 3-4 times a week gets old its better when you can afford to put some tuna or hamburger in it.
What hurts is the price of fuel as it eats up profit and into grocery $$.

Cleints are not willing to pay a fuel surcharge and if I tried that they would cancel their contracts.
Those are just a couple reasons why I will support a trucker strike.
Lower fuel costs, regulating the Big Oil companies .

[edit on 22-3-2008 by Nailer]

More like you don't care if a couple hundred thousand people lose their jobs because you got to "stick it to the oil companies". You have your own business, good for you. The rest of us are trying to get by with what we have, and with what we can. Just because you have your own business, and you support a trucker strike doesn't give you the right to tell other people how to live their lives, or that it's "their fault" that nothing will ever change. You think you're better than the rest of us because you sacrifice in different ways than we do? Like hell. Do you have ANY idea how many NON-drivers the industry requires that will be out of work when the companies shut down? And they WILL shut down because no shipper will use them again because they found other ways to move their freight.

I read this morning that the strike is supposed to start April 1. The trucker being interviewed was an independent. He says every time he starts the truck up, he's losing money because insurance and gas cost so much. He says if he goes on strike he won't be losing any more money than he would if he went on strike. His truckis bought and fully paid for on top of that, yet he's still losing money.
So, there you have it, it looks like the independents will at least strike. I really feel sorry for these guys. They worked hard to own their own truck so they could be independent, but now they're losing money.

I think the only way a strike would be effective is if the entire freight industry shut down all at once. Planes, trains, trucks, boats, all of it. And I don't see that happening. Not to mention all the illegals that would come flooding in to do the job for half the pay, to the peril of all our safety standards. But who would be worried about safety anyway if they were starving?