Trucking’s Amnesia Epidemic: Carriers Conveniently Forgetting Their Fortune-Filled Year in 2021

In an industry known for its fluctuating fortunes, carriers are often the first to feel the squeeze of economic downturns or bask in the glow of sudden windfalls. But a peculiar phenomenon has swept the trucking landscape recently, one that we’ve decided to dub the ‘amnesia epidemic.’

Yes, you’ve read it right. An epidemic, not of a viral or bacterial strain, but one of memory loss. The carriers, it seems, are suffering from a bout of collective amnesia, conveniently overlooking the treasure trove they amassed in the banner years of 2021 and 2022

The industry experienced an unprecedented boom that year. The lockdowns and global disruptions caused by the pandemic triggered a surge in demand for transportation and logistics services. Carriers found themselves at the helm of an unexpected but profitable renaissance.

The transport of goods—from essentials to luxuries—skyrocketed, turning the wheels of fortune in favor of the carriers. While other industries struggled, trucking seemed to strike gold. Yet, this sense of financial buoyancy seems to have been dismissed from the collective memory of our carriers, lost in the rear-view mirror of history.

Fast forward to 2023, and the narrative has dramatically shifted. Carriers, in a chorus of disgruntlement, claim that everyone is out to get them. The specter of regulations, the pressure of meeting environmental standards, and the rise in fuel prices are all seen as arrows aimed squarely at the heart of the trucking industry.

But what of the cushion they built just two years ago? The substantial reserves that were the product of a year when freight rates were at an all-time high and demand seemed insatiable? It seems this has been conveniently pushed into the realm of oblivion.

The question we must ask is why. Could it be a simple human tendency to focus more on present hardships than past victories? Or is it a strategic maneuver to elicit empathy and possibly ease forthcoming regulations? Only time will tell.

Regardless, one thing is clear: the 2021 & 2022 were a lucrative chapter in the trucking industry’s history. It’s crucial that carriers, as well as the broader industry, remember the highs as vividly as they recall the lows. This amnesia epidemic, while perhaps understandable, should be recognized and rectified for a more balanced perspective on the industry’s trajectory.