The people most directly affected by the decline of the real economy were truck drivers. Once a company closed down, there would be no need for logistics. Without logistics, truck drivers would lose their jobs.
The more companies closed down, the more truck drivers would lose their jobs. And this kind of unemployment was different from the unemployment of ordinary workers.
After ordinary workers lost their jobs, they could still find other jobs. If they were lucky, they could still find a job to make ends meet. However, truck drivers were different. Without new logistics demands, the number of jobs would only decrease, not increase.
This also led to the difficulty of finding a very suitable job once truck drivers lost their jobs. Even if the standard salary requirements were lowered, it would still be difficult.
Truck drivers were a very special group. They could be classified as workers, but obviously, workers were unwilling to accept this group of truck drivers who had higher wages, better benefits, and easier jobs than them.
And truck drivers were also unwilling to mix with sweaty and smelly workers. After all, they had an "exclusive ride."
This also led to the workers' union not paying much attention to the problem of truck drivers losing their jobs. Anyway, if there was a chance, they would make a fuss. If there was no chance, they would pretend not to see it.
In fact, the work of truck drivers was not only hard, but also dangerous.
Even today, there were still many active highway tyrants on the interstate highway. The hundreds of kilometers of uninhabited highway kilometers were like hell for every truck driver. Every trip was a dance on the lifeline.
If they were not careful, they would die on the way, and the truck would be driven away by someone else, leaving behind a pile of bones that would soon become one with nature.
Therefore, truck drivers often went on the road in a convoy, especially on the interstate route. It was very dangerous for two or three vehicles to go together. Often, there were more than five trucks together.
If they encountered something on the road, they would not stop. They would just crash into it. So, don't think about stopping cars on the interstate highway, let alone forcing these trucks to stop.
But were truck drivers all good people?
Obviously not. In the past, in the Federation Bureau of Investigation's files on highway murders, it could be said that most of the murders related to the highway were more or less related to truck drivers.
The most famous was the "Highway Serial Murder." A truck driver who liked to work alone was willing to help others. He also liked to kill people after helping others. After being arrested, the driver confessed to dozens of murders on the highway. Some of them were not even discovered by the police.
In short, this was a very special group. Outside the highway, they were ordinary people. There was not much difference. They might look a little fierce, but overall, they were just ordinary people.
But once they entered their "territory," these people would change from the inside out. A fundamental change.
Lynch took them to the outdoor parking lot. The front of the truck and the tractor, including the trailer, were not integrated. They came to see the front of the truck.
There were more than 40 truck heads parked in the open space. Cook suddenly became a little excited. He ran to the front of a truck and his lips trembled slightly.
He gently stroked the headlight, a little apologetic and a little distressed. Cook's good friend, James, stood aside and explained to Lynch, "That was Cook's truck before our company went bankrupt."
"Understandable …" Master Lynch was a very tolerant and benevolent person. He did not destroy the warmth of Cook's reunion with his beloved truck.
After a while, Cook came back to his senses. He scratched his head embarrassedly. This man who looked like a monster was actually a little shy and shy.
This was also a prominent characteristic of truck drivers who lacked social interaction. Their circle was too narrow.
There was a kind of desire in his eyes, but he was embarrassed to say it out loud. Lynch was very understanding. He hooked his finger at the staff. "Bring the key to that car. Let my friend have a look."
As soon as Lynch said this, the eyes of all the truck drivers became a little different. First of all, they began to respect Lynch because Lynch's behavior showed that he did not look down on or look at Cook in any other way. Instead, he asked someone to bring the key to Cook's car to fulfill Cook's small wish.
Secondly, he did not say that they were subordinates, employees, or truck drivers. Instead, he used the word "friends."
Perhaps it was because there was always shocking news on the highway. In this civilized society, not everyone was willing to be friends with truck drivers on the highway.
Coupled with their narrow social circle and a certain degree of social barriers that existed in everyone, as well as their irritable personalities, the only people who could accept them were themselves.
Lin Qi, the big boss and businessman, actually called them friends. This made them sigh with emotion, and also made them feel a kind of warm power.
If it were in the past, they might not have such strong feelings. But now, after they had lost their jobs for a few months to half a year, Lynch's words were like the warm sunshine in winter, melting the ice in their hearts!
Cook did not know how to express his feelings and emotions at this moment. In the end, he could only express his feelings with a "thank you." He was a beast who did not know how to express himself.
After getting the key, Cook immediately changed into a different person. He easily took out the tool bag from the compartment, then opened the engine cover and began to check the situation of the car. He quickly got into his role.
Lynch looked at the others. "What about you guys? What are you waiting for? Maybe there is a car for you, maybe there isn't. But if there is a car you like, why don't you go take a look or give it a try?"
This sentence suddenly moved the group of people. They had long wanted to do it, but they were more reserved.
With Lynch's permission, they immediately thanked him and took the key to study their own cars. Lynch looked at the truck drivers at the edge of the parking lot.
Just like what was said in this era, the highway was a lawless place, especially the interstate highway. Nothing could be seen on the highway for hundreds of kilometers.
Even on the interstate highway, there would only occasionally be a police car parked at the intersection of the highway. They would not actively interfere with the things on the highway. That was the territory of the truck drivers.
If someone could control most of the truck drivers in a state, it was equivalent to that person controlling the logistics system of the entire state.
Train?
Well, that was indeed a good way to avoid the truck drivers. But the train still faced two problems.
Until now, the Bailey Federation did not have a complete railway network that could radiate to all parts of the Federation. Because of the geological terrain, not all places were suitable for laying railways. At the same time, there was a problem of loss of local railways that were too barren.
In addition, the use of railways by the people was not high. This made the railway company become a thing of the past before it could develop.
It was common knowledge that railroads would incur losses. However, railroads still existed. Generally speaking, each major city in each state would have a network of railroads to facilitate the movement of people. However, intercontinental railroads were rare.
If Lynch controlled the logistics in the state, he could grab some people's necks. Even if he did nothing, it would be very easy for him to intervene in some businesses in the future.
Even if he didn't pay, he could still get a certain degree of shares. Who asked him to control the logistics transportation?
After waiting for more than half an hour, Cook packed up the tools and tidied himself up. He happily said that the car was well maintained. Except for some small problems that he had long thought of, there were no big problems.
Others had similar opinions about their own cars or the cars they chose. Lynch didn't say anything and directly talked to the manager of the car shop about the price.
A brand new big truck like this cost about 30,000 to 50,000 yuan. Although the price was not particularly expensive, it was not something a truck driver like Cook could afford.
Even now, these cars were all second-hand cars, and their prices were all above 15,000 yuan.
After a cordial conversation with the manager and the owner of the car shop, Lynch signed a special agreement with them. He would buy no less than 100 trucks in half a year, and the price must be below 12,000 yuan.
The car shop was only responsible for providing vehicles for Lynch to choose. How Lynch chose was Lynch's freedom.
If such an agreement was placed in front of the car shop owner five years ago, he would tear it up without hesitation, then pointed to the door and roared, "Get out!"
But now, his eyelids were twitching violently as he signed the agreement. He also had to thank Master Lynch for taking care of his business.
The cars in his hands meant that his funds were in a deadlock. Times and situations were changing every day.
In the face of a tragic future, having a sum of money in hand and having dozens of cars were two completely different situations.
Even if he didn't make much money, it was a rare opportunity for the car shop owner to get rid of it. He had to sign the agreement.
Immediately, Lynch asked Cook to drive to the club. After a few days of arrangement, everyone in the club had reached an agreement with Kane to end their career in the club.
As a boss and a great philanthropist, Lynch should comfort these people and give them recognition for having worked for the club.
Before that, he had to go to Joe Griman's place and buy a car, which must be mortgaged to the bank. Using other people's money to serve oneself was the core of the "financial game."
Those who used their own money to serve oneself and took risks …
Lynch never discriminated against people with intellectual problems. Instead, he thought they were very cute!