https://twitter.com/i/status/1536143322854694915 - Play entire clip
 
Wise words from our commander in chief Joe Biden, who apparently doesn’t know if he’s coming or going, and more today on this CrossPolitic Daily News Brief… More from him later. You know, Biden may not know whether he’s coming or going, but I know you do… You already know that you’re coming to our Fight Laugh Feast Conference in Knoxville TN, October 6-8th right? You’re just putting off signing up for it… believe me I get it… but don’t put it off for too long! We’ve extended our early bird pricing to the end of June, so go sign up now! flfnetwork.com/knoxville2022/, and by the way, if you’re a club member, hey, that’s $100 off right there… so sign up for a club membership too while you’re at it, over at flfnetwork.com. 
 
Alright, so on to the news: Truckers warn skyrocketing diesel prices are making US supply-chain and trucking industry unsustainable
 
https://www.businessinsider.com/truckers-warn-skyrocketing-diesel-prices-impact-industry-2022-6
 
A Facebook post from the owner of a Texas trucking company went viral last week after he warned that skyrocketing diesel prices could have longterm consequences for the US supply-chain.
 
Austin Smith, owner of Iron River Express, said it has cost him over $20,000 a week to keep his three trucks running.
 
"If something drastic doesn't change in the next few weeks/months, I promise you, you'll see empty shelves everywhere you look," Smith wrote in a post that was shared nearly 290,000 times. "You'll see chaos as people fight for the basic necessities of everyday life."
 
Insider spoke with five truckers who warned that the industry could be at a breaking point. The drivers say they've had to get creative in recent months as they work to turn a profit while spending thousands at the pump.
 
Richard Resek, a trucker based out of ports in New York and New Jersey, told Insider he's turning off his truck and rolling down his window instead of using air conditioning during long summer nights. He also plots out gas stations with the cheapest fuel prices.
 
Diesel prices have surged over 76% in the past year. Last month, Insider reported that the diesel market is facing its worst crisis since the 1970s. Prices are at a record $5.75, according to data from AAA.  For truckers like Resek, that means they're spending as much as $1,700 refueling their trucks each day.
 
Nick, a trucker who owns a small carrier in Maryland, told Insider he's had to take loads at a loss.
 
"I have the option not to run my fleet at all, but I care more about keeping my drivers busy," said Nick, who prefers to go only by his first name due to a pending lawsuit. "Drivers are the most important asset and sometimes that means I have to accept loads that are not in my favor."
 
Nick also detailed  an instance in April when he woke to find that thieves had siphoned over $1,000 worth of fuel out of his truck.
 
The trucking industry offsets diesel prices through a fuel surcharge, which is calculated through a base rate that is usually added to a shipper's freight bill. But, Resek said drivers typically never sees a breakdown of the costs from brokers or carriers — meaning there are instances when companies keep the fuel surcharge for themselves.
 
Shauntai Robinson, the owner of Mid-Carolina Transportation, told Insider that the elevated fuel prices will likely push new business owners out of the industry after a record numbers of trucking companies opened in 2021.
 
Earlier this year, CEO of the American Trucking Association Chris Spear said the industry is facing a "chronic" shortage of about 81,000 drivers. Insider has previously reported that experts say notions of a trucker shortage are overblown.
 
Wow… Sounds like things could be getting worse on the economy side of things, and I’m doubtful that inflation is what experts say it is… I think it’s probably higher. 
 
Biden points blame for record oil prices: 'Exxon made more money than God this yea