The Interstate Permit Labyrinth: One Truck Driver's Journey Through 17 Federal Agencies Before Delivering a Bag of Frozen Peas
DUBLIN, Ohio — In the world of American logistics, nothing moves faster than bureaucracy. A single interstate freight shipment now navigates an average of 17 separate federal and regional permitting portals before it even considers crossing state lines, according to a new study by the Independent Freight Bureaucracy Consortium.
“It’s like trying to order a pizza without a phone number,” said trucker-turned-commentator Gary Miller, 42, who spent six months trying to secure the necessary permits to haul a 200-case load of frozen sweet peas to a warehouse in Indiana. “I filled out Form 883-B to prove I was a good citizen, Form 99-C to demonstrate my moral character, and Form 112-G to explain why I should be allowed to drive a semi across the Ohio River. At one point, I had more paperwork than the actual shipment weight.”