So speaking of shortages

I hear there is a shortage of tanker qualified truck drivers. Perhaps this is contributory.
 
It's not just areas that are in fire. It's the next nationwide shortage. We've had trouble getting fuel as well.
 
midwestpa24 said:
It's not just areas that are in fire. It's the next nationwide shortage. We've had trouble getting fuel as well.
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On a motorcycle trip through north GA and SC last week, a number of gas stations were reduced to just one grade of fuel available (usually super) due to delayed fuel shipments.
 
Doc Holliday said:
Remember a time when shortages of anything was basically unheard of in our country?
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I could, but I'm gonna walk away...

images
 
I recall reading an article where pre COVID there was a shortage of a few thousand tanker qualified drivers. Post COVID, the shortage is much higher. If memory servers, the shortage estimate is between 25-35% of the number of needed drivers.

Tim
 
Just having a CDL, tanker and hazmat endorsement doesn't mean you can get on the road tomorrow. The people who insure trucks know that there is a difference whether someone drops a load of lumber into a creek vs. 8000gal of diesel. You need to have accident free road-time hauling something else before anyone can put you into a fuel tanker. And those who have the paperwork and the road time often do something else because hauling fuel isn't one of the most popular jobs. Drivers often get paid by the mile and sitting in line at the pipeline terminal or waiting at a gas station until the right guy with the key to unlock the valve vault comes in is all lost revenue for the driver. Given the right amount of steady money, there would probably be no shortage of drivers who already have the credentials (I know a few, but they all work some other jobs at this point).
 
weilke said:
It's not the media that tells me that the station is out of gas, it's the garbage bag wrapped around the fuel nozzle.
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When colonial pipeline shutdown, it was everyone topping their tanks off due to media that actually caused the issue.
The pipeline has been shutdown for a week many times over the years, and never a problem until it is carried by the press.

Tim

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk
 
tspear said:
When colonial pipeline shutdown, it was everyone topping their tanks off due to media that actually caused the issue.
The pipeline has been shutdown for a week many times over the years, and never a problem until it is carried by the press.
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The pipeline is open for a month and a half, there are still occasional disruptions in the gas supply for either premium (when I need premium) or regular (when I need regular). How is the press causing those ?
 
tspear said:
When colonial pipeline shutdown, it was everyone topping their tanks off due to media that actually caused the issue.
The pipeline has been shut down for a week many times over the years, and never a problem until it is carried by the press.

Tim

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk
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Every media report I heard was “don’t hoard and this will be ok”. I think if a major pipeline was **** down by criminals and media didn’t cover it we would have a really big issue….
 
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weilke said:
The pipeline is open for a month and a half, there are still occasional disruptions in the gas supply for either premium (when I need premium) or regular (when I need regular). How is the press causing those ?
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Context matters. :)
Most shortages are transient, and the public generally only becomes aware of a shortage due to media. There are of course exceptions.
A few examples:
1. Meat shortage in the 50s, yet when you do a trash excavation, you will find Americans threw away more meat in the 50s than previously,
2. Colonial pipeline shuts down, everyone goes and buys gas, making the situation worse once it the shutdown goes public.
3. TP issues at the start of COVID.
4. Bank runs during the Great Depression

Tim
 
Huckster79 said:
exactly so it’s on the hoarders reaction not the fact it was reported.
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Well, yes and no. It's like the 2008 financial crisis, the more the media hyped it, the more people bought in, and the economy swirled in the toilet bowl. Self fulfilling prophecy.
 
Huckster79 said:
Every media report I heard was “don’t hoard and this will be ok”. I think if a major pipeline was **** down by criminals and media didn’t cover it we would have a really big issue….
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evidently the swear checker software sees the a word that starts with “sh” has a “u” in the middle and ends with a “T” as the same word that stands for Ship High In Transport…. Lol
 
Huckster79 said:
exactly so it’s on the hoarders reaction not the fact it was reported.
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I did not assign blame. :)
I just pointed out that most people are unaware of all sorts of shortages. Such as tanker truck drivers. General Practitioner Docs, ambulances in rural areas, medical transport, trauma centers in urban/poor areas, lawyers (hard to believe right?), airline pilots, airline mechanics...

Tim
 
Bill said:
Well, yes and no. It's like the 2008 financial crisis, the more the media hyped it, the more people bought in, and the economy swirled in the toilet bowl. Self fulfilling prophecy.
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Then should such an event be purposefully not covered? And I’m not being ornry, just curious what your thoughts are. I think it was a newsworthy story just in general… I wouldn’t want such things purposefully not covered…
 
tspear said:
I did not assign blame. :)
I just pointed out that most people are unaware of all sorts of shortages. Such as tanker truck drivers. General Practitioner Docs, ambulances in rural areas, medical transport, trauma centers in urban/poor areas, lawyers (hard to believe right?), airline pilots, airline mechanics...

Tim
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I concur!
 
Huckster79 said:
Then should such an event be purposefully not covered? And I’m not being ornry, just curious what your thoughts are. I think it was a newsworthy story just in general… I wouldn’t want such things purposefully not covered…
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I think it should be covered, just not front page every hour with useless breathless updates that have no change. And there is no point on going to gas stations and showing the lines, and stations running out of gas due to such lines. That is just self fulfilling.

Tim
 
Huckster79 said:
Then should such an event be purposefully not covered? And I’m not being ornry, just curious what your thoughts are. I think it was a newsworthy story just in general… I wouldn’t want such things purposefully not covered…
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It should be reported, but in an even professional way. The media sensationalizes the news to generate views and ad revenue which causes over reaction by the general public.
 
tspear said:
Context matters. :)
Most shortages are transient, and the public generally only becomes aware of a shortage due to media. There are of course exceptions.
A few examples:
1. Meat shortage in the 50s, yet when you do a trash excavation, you will find Americans threw away more meat in the 50s than previously,
2. Colonial pipeline shuts down, everyone goes and buys gas, making the situation worse once it the shutdown goes public.
3. TP issues at the start of COVID.
4. Bank runs during the Great Depression

Tim
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'Look over there, squirrel'.

Nothing on that laundry list explains why we still see supply disruptions of gasoline supply as well as oddball items like yogurt, packaged apple juice and license plates.
 
weilke said:
'Look over there, squirrel'.

Nothing on that laundry list explains why we still see supply disruptions of gasoline supply as well as oddball items like yogurt, packaged apple juice and license plates.
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I never explained any shortages. I just said people are aware of them due to the media, and that this exacerbates them.
Gas shortages currently, according to the news is caused by a shortage of tanker drivers. Not trucks, or refining or pipeline capacity. Just the tanker driver. BWTDIK

Tim
 
tspear said:
I never explained any shortages. I just said people are aware of them due to the media, and that this exacerbates them.
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No, I am aware of a shortage of apple juice because my local coffee shop doesn't have any and can't get his normal shipments of 48 bottle trays from his restaurant supplier. This is not the press telling me, this is not some irrational rush on bottled apple juice. It's an odd supply disruption.

Gas shortages currently, according to the news is caused by a shortage of tanker drivers. Not trucks, or refining or pipeline capacity. Just the tanker driver. BWTDIK
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That's humorous. You complain about the press yet you quote the news to make your point.
 
weilke said:
That's humorous. You complain about the press yet you quote the news to make your point.
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Um, where did I complain about the press. I noted what they did above related to the Colonial Pipeline, but I am not aware of a complaint.
Mostly, because I view it as pointless.

Tim
 
tspear said:
Um, where did I complain about the press. I noted what they did above related to the Colonial Pipeline, but I am not aware of a complaint.
Mostly, because I view it as pointless.

Tim
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You started out by making a general assertion regarding shortages:

tspear said:
Nope. All my life there has been shortages, the only question was if most of the public was aware of it due to media. Generally the answer is no.

Tim
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And I simply believe that that is not correct. When I can't get a commodity item because it's not on the shelf, that's not the medias doing. Its a sign that somehow the supply chain is gummed up.
 
weilke said:
No, I am aware of a shortage of apple juice because my local coffee shop doesn't have any and can't get his normal shipments of 48 bottle trays from his restaurant supplier. This is not the press telling me, this is not some irrational rush on bottled apple juice. It's an odd supply disruption.
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I have noticed this as well. There continue to be odd holes in item availability. You mention yogurt, I’ve noticed that as well. Also heavy cream. There will be an empty shelf for days to weeks. Then it will come back. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what is affected. Certain meats will not be there for a while. Certain canned items. Because I live in Texas I have not noticed gasoline or diesel shortages in my local area though.

I have read that there are severe logistics problems at ports on the west coast and freight trains being able to get things east, that might explain some of the non-food items. Or maybe packaging for foods. This is no doubt all fallout from covid and shutdowns. What did people expect, we’d be able to just pick up where we left off with no disruption? It’s not like it’s anywhere near end in sight either. I’m having a hard time getting my thyroid supplement from New Zealand, it’s affecting all sorts of random things.
 
tspear said:
A few examples:
1. Meat shortage in the 50s, yet when you do a trash excavation, you will find Americans threw away more meat in the 50s than previously,
2. Colonial pipeline shuts down, everyone goes and buys gas, making the situation worse once it the shutdown goes public.
3. TP issues at the start of COVID.
4. Bank runs during the Great Depression
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3a. Johnny Carson joked about having a toilet paper shortage in 1973, and folks started hoarding TP...

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/johnny-carson-tp-shortage/
 
tspear said:
I think it should be covered, just not front page every hour with useless breathless updates that have no change. And there is no point on going to gas stations and showing the lines, and stations running out of gas due to such lines. That is just self fulfilling.

Tim
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I certainly get your point, however I guess I’d say it still boils down to personal responsibility, especially in a capitalistic structure those media outlets are for profit businesses and left, right and center has figured out a 24 hr news cycle is the most profitable. That’s not necessarily good or bad- just an observation. The press has never ever been lily white- but it’s also vital, and without a government run press which would have major issues of its own a for-profit press is our best option even for its faults…

I also would note people like to think of this as a new phenomenon- it’s not… look at some old newsprint and there are sensational stories…. It’s almost more likely in days of old to have inaccuracies as there was limited channels of info… so there was little to cross check it with.
 
Huckster79 said:
I certainly get your point, however I guess I’d say it still boils down to personal responsibility, especially in a capitalistic structure those media outlets are for profit businesses and left, right and center has figured out a 24 hr news cycle is the most profitable. That’s not necessarily good or bad- just an observation. The press has never ever been lily white- but it’s also vital, and without a government run press which would have major issues of its own a for-profit press is our best option even for its faults…

I also would note people like to think of this as a new phenomenon- it’s not… look at some old newsprint and there are sensational stories…. It’s almost more likely in days of old to have inaccuracies as there was limited channels of info… so there was little to cross check it with.
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Well, I think my main quarrel with the media is that they went all-in on sensationalism and click-bait headlines/opinion rather than being a non-partisan source for facts and information. It's always been a part of news media for sure, but its severity is increasingly apparent. Unfortunately, if they just stated the facts without adding any color or opinions as to the potential effects of "X" situation or "Y" event, they wouldn't be able to fill up a 24-hour news cycle. I honestly believe there would be less panic as well as less divisiveness in the US if it weren't for news media personalities spouting their vitriol about EVERYTHING constantly. Tying that back to the topic: I think most shortages or supply interruptions would be barely perceptible, if at all, until a media source sensationalizes something small by saying things like "couple have rippling effects across the nation". Viola! Virtual shortage made manifest.
 
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