Highway closures causing headaches for supply chain, local businesses

“It’s eight hours a day of someone’s wages we’re paying extra, and then all extra fuel, maintenance, everything else, it all adds up,” Jensen said.

Jensen added each truck’s additional costs are easily in the hundreds of dollars, and while that’s definitely difficult to manage he says Rosenau Transport looks to avoid passing costs onto the customer whenever possible. Given that wildfire road closures have become an expected hazard every summer, Jensen says Rosenau Transport is prepared to eat the costs, but if the closures are extended or made more severe there may be no choice but to pass the costs on.

“After a week or so, if it carried on for longer, yeah, we would potentially have to look on to add a surcharge onto each shipment to help cover that cost. Transportation doesn’t have high profit margins. So in those cases, we have to pass that back on to the customers, and it would be passed on to each customer who would then share it,” Jensen said.

As for the provincial government, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says it’s aware of the challenges these highway closures create, and its working to continue finding alternate routes and ways to work around closures.

“We did hear that there were some supply challenges but it sounds like those supplies, whether it’s fuel, groceries, are getting to those communities. So it is something that we certainly recognize and don’t take lightly, but if the closures do happen, we are coordinated with B.C. Wildfire Services,” said the Ministry’s Executive Director Darrell Gunn.

You can find up to date information on all highway closures on drivebc.ca.

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by Tommy Osborne

Highway closures causing headaches for supply chain, local businesses

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