fire cat pickles wrote: ↑22 Jan 2022, 10:26If I have the chance I will swing by UPS and see how much more the shipping is to the UK now compared to three years ago.
@fire cat pickles Thanks for the clarification on the previous post. Sorry that I misunderstood.
The current cost for UPS will most likely be outrageous. In addition to the higher wages and benefits that I mentioned, it is my understanding that many of these shipping companies were taking advantage of unused cargo space on passenger flights to move many of their packages globally. Because passenger flights have been severely hindered because of COVID, these shipping companies are having to schedule additional
dedicated cargo flights with their own planes, which is far more expensive than piggybacking on passenger flights that are already going to a particular country.
I think the only solution to this dilemma is going to be a major redesign of the distribution network, as Joan Marie indicated in the following quote:
Joan Marie wrote: ↑22 Jan 2022, 13:50The thing with tarot decks and big publishers though is if they wanted to they could set up distribution in other parts of the world to help bring shipping costs down for the buyers. People were complaining about shipping costs for decks already years ago but now it's just out of control.
@Joan Marie Your comment goes to the heart of the problem (and solution) not only where tarots are concerned but with shipping in general. By investing in additional distribution facilities, as you have indicated, it will offset the transportation costs and help to relieve the driver shortages (in addition to bringing more jobs to local communities).
Part of the problem with the trucking industry (at least here in the US) is that the distribution network is set up so poorly that many drivers have to work as many as 14 hours per day (11 hours driving + 3 hours non-driving) just to complete a scheduled run from terminal to terminal. Many drivers are also away from their home and family for days at a time; as such, it is getting harder and harder to find people who are interested in working as truck drivers. The shipping companies are therefore forced to continue offering higher pay and benefits, which we the customers are forced to pay in the form of higher shipping cost. This is a vicious cycle that will have no end until they address the deficiencies in the distribution network.
One other practice that the trucking industry could eliminate that would not cost them any money, but that I believe would help with driver retention, is the practice of putting all driver positions up for bid every year. Once a year, many trucking companies allow the senior drivers to bump less senior drivers out of their scheduled time slot, forcing the less senior drivers to take whatever positions are left. If the new start time is not workable for the driver because of family or childcare issues, then the less senior driver will need to try to find a job at another trucking company or leave the industry altogether. I know from personal experience that this major disruption to everyone's personal life
each and every year is just one of the many reasons that the trucking industry is having trouble attracting drivers.
