Diesel and Truck Driver Shortages Are Only the Latest in a “Highly Inefficient Transportation System”

The trucking industry is under consistent pressure from multiple fronts. On one end, news continues to spiral about a looming diesel shortage as prices remain high and U.S. diesel supplies reach their lowest since 2008, sparking panic and debate about when the U.S. would “run out” of diesel. On the other end, the trucking industry is still in desperate need of labor; the ATA’s most recent October report on truck driver shortages places projections at the “second highest level on record after 81,258 in 2021.”

Can these issues be viewed in a bubble, though, even just within the context of issues facing truckers? And do these issues speak to a larger deficiency that’s been plaguing the trucking industry for years? Myron Manuirirangi, the founder of Truckonomics, seems to think so. A long-time trucker himself, Manuirirangi says it’s time to give players in the larger transportation and logistics industry a wake-up call. Diesel shortages and truck driver shortages are only an update to existing problems with transportation industry operations, ones that have been on decision-makers radars for far too long.

Myron’s Thoughts

“My take on the looming diesel shortage and its compounding effect on an already worsening driver shortage and supply chain blockage? First, the diesel shortage is overstated. As I understand inventory supply is lower than normal, giving 25 days of diesel versus 35 to 40 days, which to me means there is no imminent supply threat.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

digital freight invoicing
ODeX Is Leading the Charge in Digital Freight Invoicing
April 24, 2025

Global shipping continues to grapple with fragmented billing processes, often delaying cargo movement. According to McKinsey, adopting an electronic bill of lading could save $6.5 billion in direct costs and enable $40 billion in global trade. As vessels carry goods for thousands of shippers per voyage, the administrative burden of managing and reconciling invoices…

Read More
Human Intelligence Movement
Just Thinking… about Reimagining Education for the AI Era with the Human Intelligence Movement
April 24, 2025

As artificial intelligence reshapes education, work, and daily life, educators are grappling with how to prepare students for a future where human skills—not just knowledge—will be paramount. In fact, a growing number of reports highlight that employers increasingly value collaboration, communication, and emotional intelligence over memorized content. Amid this transformation, the Human Intelligence Movement…

Read More
The Value of a Restoration Team with Healthcare Experience
The Value of a Restoration Team with Healthcare Experience
April 24, 2025

In this episode of Inside Restoration & Recovery, host Martha Lewis welcomes Jason McClaren, Director of Facilities Operations at Reunion Rehabilitation Hospitals, to discuss the critical advantage of partnering with a restoration team experienced in healthcare. A former firefighter and military veteran, Jason has spent the last decade managing safety, risk, and emergency preparedness…

Read More
Science of reading
Educators Must Combine 1:1 Tutoring with the Science of Reading to Close the Reading Gap
April 23, 2025

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the education system faced a seismic shift. Learning loss, especially in foundational literacy, was a national crisis. In 2024, only 31% of fourth graders in the U.S. were reading proficiently, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Meanwhile, tutoring exploded as a top strategy to recover…

Read More