Have you imagined what would happen if truck drivers stopped working for a few days?
The world would come to a screeching halt according to Ricky Rodriguez, a truck driver who works 14-hours a day hauling steel and lumber throughout the Midwest. According to another trucker Paul Marhoefer (who hosts the podcast Over the Road), it would send the entire nation into a frenzy.
If this happened, the shelves in the grocery stores would be empty, we would run out of gas, and hospitals would run out of supplies. You’ve probably witnessed shortages like these throughout the pandemic. However, if truck drivers stopped working completely for a few days the shortages would be on a much larger scale.
If you’re unaware of the importance the trucking industry has in our nation, then keep reading.
The Importance of the Trucking Industry
Trucks are a key player in the nation’s economy. They are also responsible for delivering 72 percent of the goods you consume. They play a crucial role in the supply chain by transporting goods all around the country.
Every product you use goes from a port or factory to your doorstep with the help of truck drivers. Truckers travel more than 450 billion miles yearly in order to deliver goods across the country. In fact, trucks carry more than 11 billion tons a year in electronics, merchandise, supplies, produce, etc.
Chris Spear, CEO and President of the American Trucking Associations, stated that trucks will remain dominant in the transportation industry for a long time.
However, the majority of people don’t think about how our shopping habits create a demand for trucking. Since the pandemic, this demand grew due to an increase in online shopping.
How They Do It
As mentioned above, every product in your home has traveled on some type of truck.
Keep in mind that there’s more than one type of truck. As a consumer, you come into contact with delivery workers from FedEx or UPS when they hand you your packages. However, that’s just a portion of the entire trucking industry.
There’s big rigs that haul huge shipments from various businesses. There’s another type of truck that transports dangerous or heavy materials such as equipment, gasoline, trash, or chemicals. Then, there are regional and local drivers who go on short trips to different retail outlets and service stores.
Don’t forget about the port truckers who transport cargo in the large shipping containers across the country. These shipping containers are carried on boats and brought to our ports located on the coast.
Summing Up
In a nutshell, the trucking industry is a crucial part of the supply chain process. Truck drivers work long hard hours in order to keep our country going and we appreciate them!
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