Biden administration brokers deal with railroads and unions. Rail strike averted

[The Barbarian]

From 2020:

How have truck drivers been affected?

• Commercial truck drivers were exempt from the non-essential business closures and stay-at-home orders implemented by most states.
• Truck drivers have reported long wait times at pickup and delivery points due to decreased on-site personnel and busier receiving schedules.
• Some carriers are waiving physical signatures on LTL and small parcel shipments; however, drivers are still expected to record the time, any exceptions, and name of the consignee. 2
• Truck drivers are less willing to book loads to hard hit areas causing spot market and ad hoc rates to climb. 2
• Amenities such as food and restroom stops are becoming a challenge to truck drivers along certain routes.
• Across the US, there’s been a significant drop in volume in lanes that normally have freight.
• Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight cannot be held in destination terminals due to limited space, resulting in extra fees. Many LTL carriers are then returning freight less than one day after a load cannot be delivered to a closed facility. 2

Rail Freight

In the midst of the ongoing crisis, rail car volume continues to be on par or slightly below year-over-year activity. Railroad giants, BNSF and Union Pacific, felt an initial shift as they would have handled China’s imports. Across the U.S., rail car storage is in demand, especially tanker cars that carry and store crude oil.
COVID-19 Effects on Transportation Modes | Insights | Cushman & Wakefield

 

[dqhall]

Some of it was due to pandemic restrictions, lack of workers, etc. But much of it was transportation problems. The "just in time" system used by so many companies did not do so well with the disrupted distribution system of the pandemic.
Transportation Costs to Ease, but U.S. Inflation Will Remain Elevated through 2022

Ukraine was a top 10 exporter of grain. Now the price of grain is higher. Belarus exported potash fertilizer, until they were sanctioned over kidnapping a journalist. Potash prices are higher. Natural gas is used to provide electric power to European industry. Due to electricity shortages, factories shutdown - more shortages. Natural gas is used as feedstock for nitrogen fertilizer. Due to Russia blocking natural gas exports, there are higher nitrogen fertilizer prices. That makes food prices rise. If you do not fertilize a corn field, you will get a reduced corn yield. There was a semiconductor chip shortage. There is still a shortage of small gas economy vehicles. The Ford dealership has pickup trucks, cargo vans, suv’s, and $50k - $60k Mustangs.

 

[timothyu]

Ukraine was a top 10 exporter of grain. Now the price of grain is higher. Belarus exported potash fertilizer, until they were sanctioned over kidnapping a journalist. Potash prices are higher. Natural gas is used to provide electric power to European industry. Due to electricity shortages, factories shutdown - more shortages. Natural gas is used as feedstock for nitrogen fertilizer. Due to Russia blocking natural gas exports, there are higher nitrogen fertilizer prices. That makes food prices rise. If you do not fertilize a corn field, you will get a reduced corn yield. There was a semiconductor chip shortage. There is still a shortage of small gas economy vehicles. The Ford dealership has pickup trucks, cargo vans, suv’s, and $50k - $60k Mustangs.

Ah the joys of globalization.

 

[rturner76]

Ah the joys of globalization.

With the internet and global financial markets, wide-open globalization is inevitable. Just be happy it's the North American and European financial institutions that will reap the benefits.

 

[timothyu]

Just be happy it's the North American and European financial institutions that will reap the benefits.

They are already globalized

 

[The Barbarian]

Ah the joys of globalization.

Technology has gone too far to make isolationism a feasible plan.

 

[timothyu]

Technology has gone too far to make isolationism a feasible plan.

That's what they thought at Babel.

 

[The Barbarian]

That's what they thought at Babel.

That is where globalization began. There were always trade connections between nations. Disruptions were the exception, not the norm. Here's a source to learn more about it.
https://www.amazon.com/1177-B-C-Civilization-Collapsed-Turning/dp/0691168385

 

[timothyu]

That is where globalization began.

Jesus' rage at the 'money lenders' was no doubt not just based on desecration of the Temple but foreknowledge of a connection to end of days events.

 

[The Barbarian]

Maybe so. The love of money...

 

[rjs330]

Data?

Don't be taken in. The majority of the media and social media are all owned and run by democrats.

 

[rjs330]

Technology has gone too far to make isolationism a feasible plan.

Yeah isolation is not really realistic anymore. But I am all for being independant regarding critical structure. Things like oil, computer chips, things like that that keep us going. Not just for us, but as a part of the global economy we could be supplying other nations while being secure in our ability to operate.

 

[The Barbarian]

Don't be taken in. The majority of the media and social media are all owned and run by democrats.

So long as there is Fox News, Breitbart, NY Post, and other far-right outlets readily available, that story won't fly.

 

[rjs330]

So long as there is Fox News, Breitbart, NY Post, and other far-right outlets readily available, that story won't fly.

Of course it does cause it factual. I never said there weren't any. I said the majority are. That is a fact. Let's see we have Fox vs CNN, ABC, CBS,NBC, MSN, all major news sources.

Yes there are reblican run news sources. Thank God there is. But the mainstream sources and social media are predominantly owned and run by left wing people, who are predominantly democrats.

 

[The Barbarian]

Of course it does cause it factual.

Nope. As you see, there are lots of conflicting sites readily available. The fact that more people are moderates and liberal than conservative is not restriction of information.

There are attempts to do far-right social media, but there just aren't enough people who think that way, to support it. That's why Truth Social is falling apart.

Edit: Maybe you could get a law passed requiring Americans to tune in to the media you like. Maybe a kind of draft with some kind of oversight making sure they do. Wouldn't that be a good far-right solution?