The lifeblood of this country can be found in the trucking and shipping industry. We don’t get a lot of press or attention, but quietly behind the scenes the truckers are the people that keep this country working. If there was a general strike for the entire trucking industry, within 24 hours this nation would be in shambles. Businesses would stay closed, stores wouldn’t have anything to sell, people would go hungry. The truckers are the ones who keep bringing in products and food to where it needs to be. When it comes to the construction industry, trucking is of paramount importance. Recently a region in the midwest went through a shortage of rebar rods, forming wire, and double loop wire ties. This may not sound like a big deal to you, but for the local construction companies it was a nightmare. Most people don’t know how much rebar rods and bar ties are used in major construction projects. Before cement or concrete can be pours as a foundation, or to make the walls, there needs to be a strong internal support grid made of rebar rods lashed together with bar ties and double loop wire ties. That local shortage of rebar and wire was enough to halt construction on a dozen different buildings. The local companies had to order rebar rods and wire ties from other states, and it was the job of the truckers to get it to the work sites ASAP. I am using rebar and wire ties as an example, but it has happened with other supplies, too.