Trucking Industry, Professional Truck Drivers Imperative to U.S. Economy

Have you ever heard the phrase, "If you bought it, a trucker brought it"? Well, what happens when a trucker is delayed, or can't move the product at all? This is what the trucking industry, and and every industry it touches, faces when inclement weather prevents truckers from making their deliveries.

With all the flooding that happened across Texas and Oklahoma earlier this week, the trucking industry in that region has been brought to a crawl (along with the rest of traffic). But it's not just the truckers on the road who are affected by bad weather, it's every industry that relies on the steady flow of deliveries from truckers to properly run their business. Trucking is a major cog in the wheel that is the economy, and the ripple effect caused by bad weather and road closures is what can ultimately cause all industries, from healthcare to grocers, to suffer.

According to the Department of Transportation, a national average of 4.6% of all freight traffic hours each year are affected by weather-related delivery delays. This amounts to 1.5%, or nearly $8.7 billion in trucking revenue each year.

In April 2014, a series of white papers were produced in the Tampa Bay region, with the purpose of highlighting the importance of freight traffic on the overall economy. One such white paper states that transit time is valued at $25 - $200 per hour, depending on the product being transported and the perishability of that product. Unexpected delays can increase that value by 50 - 250%.

Because retailers often can't pass this cost on to the consumer, weather (and other) related trucking delays can result in a decreased profit margin for businesses, at best.

Remember this when you begin your career as a professional truck driver. There may often be difficult and thankless days. However, America as a whole depends on you. Because of you, a hospital gets much-needed medical supplies, a little girl gets her bike in time for her birthday, and lives are saved with your deliveries of essentials during natural disasters.


See Also: When Trucks Stop, America Stops