Regulatory Compliance Consulting

President-Elect Obama is scaring many in the Transportation Sector, especially independent haulers, independent drivers and non-union trucking companies. Why you ask? Well, because Barack Obama supported the unions and the unions are asking for a return on their investment for getting the gentleman elected. How serious is this issue in the trucking industry?

Well, according to [cite: Transport Topics 11/17/2008] Transportation Intermediaries Association President and CEO Robert Voltmann stated at the annual Transportation Conference in Florida:
 

Deregulation is good, more deregulation is better,” has been TIA’s mantra, Voltmann said. However, a ban on owner-operators at the Port of Los Angeles, excessive fuel surcharge legislation, and a revision of trucking Hours of Service rules by the Teamsters union are some of the issues that may find more support in the next Congress “by those who don’t think they can compete,”

 
The real problem lies in the fact that anytime it costs more to ship anything, it is like an overall tax on society, call it a distribution tax on our civilization if you will? After all, every single thing you see, where ever you go was brought by a truck. Increased regulations costs trucking companies millions of dollars and those costs will be passed onto the consumers, just like the higher fuel costs have been.
 
Of course, it still remains to be seen if President Obama’s Administration will be good, bad or ugly for the trucking industry, and perhaps the worst is not knowing. Stock Markets do not like the unknown and right now not a whole lot of investors like the transportation sector very much either. So, please think on this.