A social media post written by the owner of a small trucking company recently went viral for offering readers alarming insight into how skyrocketing diesel prices are pushing an already struggling industry towards the brink of collapse.
The post was shared by Iron River Express owner Austin Smith on June 2, 2022.
In the post, Smith breaks down how much it costs to keep his three trucks moving each day as diesel fuel costs remain crushingly high. Smith said that he recently paid more than $20,000 out of pocket to keep his fleet moving for a week.
“Trucking companies are going under left and right. (Literally hundreds weekly) If you’re not aware, what you’re wearing, what you’re eating, what you’re living in, what you’re driving, what you’re reading this on, was delivered by a truck. If something drastic doesn’t change in the next few weeks/months, I promise you, you’ll see empty shelves everywhere you look. You’ll see chaos as people fight for the basic necessities of everyday life. Food, medicine, etc.,” Smith said.
The post has been shared nearly 260,000 times since June 2, with tens of thousands of likes and comments.
Check out Smith’s full message below.
After the overwhelming reaction to the post, Smith followed up with videos to answer questions and respond to comments from users who read the post.
@benevolent_patriot Made a Facebook post the other day that blew up and went viral. Here are some of the questions you guys asked. Part 1 #viral #greenscreen #fyp #truckerlife #truckdriver #dailygrind #american #foryoupage #letsgetbackontrack ♬ original sound – Austin Smith
@benevolent_patriot Here’s part two of the first video I made in reference to my viral Facebook post for a better day. #viral #fyp #truckerlife #truckdriver #dailygrind #american #foryoupage #letsgetbackontrack ♬ original sound – Austin Smith