California's congestion, deteriorating infrastructure and regulatory environment have presented special challenges to truckers for years.
I am told of a saying that comes out of East Texas that today seems especially appropriate in California. "Nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse."
California Democrats and Republicans have failed, once again, to work together to solve that state's budget crisis (news story). As a result, the state is on the brink of a financial meltdown, which in many ways has already begun.
According to the Associated Press, "The budget crisis is dire: tax refund checks and payments to state vendors have been delayed; some 2,000 public works projects have been stopped because the state has no money to pay for them; and California's credit rating is so bad the state can't get loans."
The state's unemployment rate is well above the national average and now approaching 10%. This reduced economic activity will impact the state as a freight source and destination for truckers.
I mentioned Democrats and Republicans failing together in hopes of keeping this from becoming a political blame-fest thread. The getting-worse part that concerns me as a trucker relates to infrastructure project halts, fuel tax increases and the possibility that inbound truckers will be seen as an easy revenue source in a state that disparately needs revenue.
On the other hand, it might also happen that truck scale and enforcement operations are reduced as a cost-saving measure. State employees are being or will likely be furloughed because of the crisis. Scale cops do not have the political clout other employee groups do, so maybe, they will be furloughed at a higher rate? I don't know.
I do know that California is not alone in having a financial crisis. Reduced revenues and higher costs have moved numerous states into similar situations.
Looking at this as a trucker, I see less freight going in and out of California, infrastructure decay accelerating, the potential for increased fines in a state that is already over-regulated, higher sales tax to pay on goods we may buy while in California and higher fuel tax too (though only a gasoline tax is discussed in the news).
I guess we will still be willing to haul freight in and out of California, if the money is right. But with the additional costs and burdens mentioned above, the good people of California, who elected myopic neanderthals to represent them, and voted for a host of fiscally irresponsible ballot initiatives, should expect to pay more for the services we provide. As the costs of running in and out of California increase, so will our price to do so.
If our price puts us out of the California market, that is fine with me. One of the great things about being an expediter is the freedom we have to not drive into unprofitable markets and drive away from unprofitable areas. California is a good market for freight, but like any other customer, if they don't pay, we won't play.
I am told of a saying that comes out of East Texas that today seems especially appropriate in California. "Nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse."
California Democrats and Republicans have failed, once again, to work together to solve that state's budget crisis (news story). As a result, the state is on the brink of a financial meltdown, which in many ways has already begun.
According to the Associated Press, "The budget crisis is dire: tax refund checks and payments to state vendors have been delayed; some 2,000 public works projects have been stopped because the state has no money to pay for them; and California's credit rating is so bad the state can't get loans."
The state's unemployment rate is well above the national average and now approaching 10%. This reduced economic activity will impact the state as a freight source and destination for truckers.
I mentioned Democrats and Republicans failing together in hopes of keeping this from becoming a political blame-fest thread. The getting-worse part that concerns me as a trucker relates to infrastructure project halts, fuel tax increases and the possibility that inbound truckers will be seen as an easy revenue source in a state that disparately needs revenue.
On the other hand, it might also happen that truck scale and enforcement operations are reduced as a cost-saving measure. State employees are being or will likely be furloughed because of the crisis. Scale cops do not have the political clout other employee groups do, so maybe, they will be furloughed at a higher rate? I don't know.
I do know that California is not alone in having a financial crisis. Reduced revenues and higher costs have moved numerous states into similar situations.
Looking at this as a trucker, I see less freight going in and out of California, infrastructure decay accelerating, the potential for increased fines in a state that is already over-regulated, higher sales tax to pay on goods we may buy while in California and higher fuel tax too (though only a gasoline tax is discussed in the news).
I guess we will still be willing to haul freight in and out of California, if the money is right. But with the additional costs and burdens mentioned above, the good people of California, who elected myopic neanderthals to represent them, and voted for a host of fiscally irresponsible ballot initiatives, should expect to pay more for the services we provide. As the costs of running in and out of California increase, so will our price to do so.
If our price puts us out of the California market, that is fine with me. One of the great things about being an expediter is the freedom we have to not drive into unprofitable markets and drive away from unprofitable areas. California is a good market for freight, but like any other customer, if they don't pay, we won't play.
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