The liquid transportation industry has gone through a series of changes in the last few years, throwing a set of new challenges to the companies, and even the drivers who transport the products. Changing government regulations, increasing demand, scarcity of drivers, especially during the pandemic period, and even natural disasters have posed serious challenges for the liquid transportation sector. Then there is also a lack of lead time that most people face while booking trucks. The quality of containers used to transport liquid products is also a factor that one needs to consider.

Let us discuss these in detail and find out ways to overcome the challenges:

Increasing demand for chemical transportation

Numerous chemical companies have started expanding in North America, thus raising the demand for bulk transportation throughout the country. These chemicals also need high-quality containers and transport systems in place to prevent unfortunate incidents and wastage.

Changed rules

All trucks in the US now have ELDs (Electronic Logging Devices) installed, which reduces individual time on the roads. This again reduces the capacity of liquid bulk transportation, posing it as a challenge for the involved parties. The shipments of 500 miles or more are suffering the most because of this, as the drivers are not allowed to travel beyond their specified HOS (Hours of Service). Owing to bad traffic conditions and adverse weather, these shipments could take longer to reach their destinations.

Chances of waste

One of the most common issues of transporting liquid products, like oil, is leakage and spills. And it not only causes commercial losses but also degrades the environment. On top of that, the companies may have to pay a hefty sum to recoup the losses. A lot of factors may contribute to such accidents, like improper arrangement of containers on the trucks, low-quality shipping containers, uncleaned containers, etc. In other words, one needs to evaluate the quality of the container before using it for bulk transportation.

Driver shortage

The pandemic has created a massive driver shortage for the trucking industry. At present, people are not that keen to join the industry due to the risks of infection. Although the vaccines have created a certain resistance in the younger population, it may take some time before things get back to normal. Before it does, the companies are going to face some hard times due to the lack of skilled personnel. Then again, women are not eager to join the industry because of the hardships involved. However, several trucking companies are encouraging women to work as independent drivers, so that they get a taste of the job and its requirements.

Although most of these challenges can be overcome with time, one can always work on the quality of containers to make sure that there is no waste or ‘spills’ during transportation. FDA -approved and UV-resistant containers, like the 330 Gallon IBC Totes can help transport, store and distribute liquid products in bulk without much hassle. One can opt for a supplier offering containers of multiple capacities to choose the one that meets the requirements. HDPE containers can be the best bet, as these are affordable, resistant to extremes of temperatures, chemicals, and can even be cleaned in a dishwasher. The containers need not be too big and bulky. You can buy a series of tanks fitted together in a tight and durable arrangement to transport liquid in bulk.

The transportation industry is witnessing some long-lasting changes at the moment. If you can adapt to the changing conditions, your business will flourish.