The Trucking Industry
The trucking industry’s main objective is to transport freight shipments over land. From foodstuffs, furniture, textiles, technological equipment, raw materials, to everyday commodities, every product category gets transported by truck during the shipping process. Sometimes trucks pick up cargo from ports and deliver them to retail distribution centres, and other times trucks are used in the construction industry to transport raw materials to building sites.
The trucking industry’s efficiency and wide coverage are made possible through the variety of trailers that are available for use. Learn more about the types of trailers used in the trucking industry here: An Introduction to Loose Cargo.
And in order to get into the trucking industry, prospective drivers must acquire a separate commercial driving license and receive extra training to learn about government implemented driving regulations and practice how to handle large vehicles with heavy volumes of cargo.
The Importance of the Trucking Industry
The trucking industry has often been called the “backbone of the US economy,” and it’s not without reason. The US economy is heavily dependent on trucking transportation methods to move consumable goods and keep supply chains alive. According to a recent study done by the American Trucking Association (ATA), about 70% of the country’s freight is transported via trucks and the trucking industry handles nearly $700 billion USD worth of cargo every year. And within the United States, there are over 3.5 million truck drivers working tirelessly to ensure that shipments arrive at their destination safely.
Unless a manufacturing company or distribution centre has direct access to railroads, the last leg of the shipping journey is always completed by trucking transportation. This part of a shipment’s journey is actually the most time-consuming and expensive part of the whole shipping process, making up 53% of the total shipping cost. Learn more about it here: What is Last Mile Delivery?
What Would Happen If Trucks Stopped?
How many trucks do we pass by every day in traffic? That’s not an easy question to answer, as most people aren’t really paying attention to the number of trucks driving down the streets. But trucks are a crucial part of freight transportation, and it sounds dramatic, but if the trucking industry just vanished off the face of the earth, the economy would most likely fall apart.
Oftentimes, trucks are carrying and transporting time-sensitive shipments like fresh produce and essential medical supplies. But there are many other industries that will suffer if trucking transportation comes to a halt. Read more about medical logistics here: Providing or Choosing Medical Logistic Services?
In a hypothetical situation where trucks stopped operating, many critical industries will be affected within the first 1-2 days. These include: food, healthcare, transportation, retail, manufacturing, waste removal, and banking. Grocery stores will run out of food, hospitals will exhaust their medical supplies, and gas stations will be unable to provide more fuel. Manufacturing centres won’t receive raw materials to work with, medical and hazardous waste will start to release toxins and infectious diseases into living environments, clean water will become inaccessible, and more. Almost every industry requires trucks to transport their products and materials, so the lack of truck transportation would be detrimental to the economy.
That’s all without mentioning the devastating amount of people who would lose their jobs. Furthermore, there may be other effects, like increased crime rates, untreated illnesses and injuries, higher death rates, and widespread civil unrest. Truck drivers are pivotal to the world today. Beyond being an important cog in the freight forwarding industry, truck transportation is also crucial to the world’s economy as a whole.
Contact SFI for Professional Help!
If you have shipments waiting to be delivered but don’t know how to face the freight forwarding industry, have no fear! SFI can take care of your shipping needs today. Contact us and our professionals will help you tackle any shipping problems you may have. Send us an email at info@sfi.com or call us at (909) 594-3400.
