Disaster hit the U.S. trucking industry in the form of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, affecting 10% of the U.S. trucking industry alone. The effects on the industry are expected to last into January, a devastating blow not only to trucking companies, but to their consumers, who rely on supplies, food and other essentials delivered regularly by these trucks. According to local sources, 60% of transport activities are late. Destruction and flooding in areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma lead to mass delays and travel rescheduling. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayMany consumers may wonder how this will affect them. Not only were the roads destroyed, but Harvey and Irma also destroyed some of the products the trucks were supposed to deliver. This has caused food and transportation prices to skyrocket, leaving many consumers with limited resources during this recovery period. Local trucking and grove company owner Thomas E. Oakley has high hopes for the trucking industry, despite the hurricane implications. “We are doing everything we can to save our products.” Thomas Oakley is the owner and CEO of Oakley Trucking, a commercial trucking company that focuses on hauling citrus fruit out of Florida. “Hurricane Irma has affected our citrus farm to a degree we did not anticipate, and with more than half of our crops lost, our trucking business is starting to show losses on the financial statements.” Located in Dade County, Florida since 1961, Oakley Transportation is Florida's largest citrus transporter and they were forced to shut down all operations for a week due to Irma. Drivers are also suffering as they wait for producers to resume harvests and regain their composure during this difficult period. Because Irma destroyed more than half of Oakley's crops, it was difficult to get his trucks running at first because the product wasn't available. Irma affected many other crops in Florida, causing shipping efforts to remain stagnant. According to The Packer, in 2017 Florida suffered $760 million in damage from citrus fruits alone. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said, "Irma's path could not have been more poorly chosen to more effectively destroy our agricultural crops," Putnam said at a conference in Orlando. press conference. “…If the [December harvest] window closes, it could be filled by foreign competition – Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, and they will be out of luck all year” (Gillespie). Florida crops are unlikely to return even in time for Thanksgiving. The increase in costs of transport and consumer goods and the destruction of crops are effects that we will see for a reasonable period of time. FEMA has caused increased demand for trucking in areas affected by the two hurricanes as supplies are distributed to victims, but road closures are a huge factor in the delays. The trucking industry is however benefiting from rising delivery prices since demand is so high, which counteracts some of the complications caused by these natural disasters. “Due to the already confined nature of the truck environment, this means loads could be left on docks, according to Noel Perry, one of..