FEATURE: Industry Outlook
Industry Outlook: What’s in Store for Trucking? There’s no doubt – 2018 was a good year for the trucking industry. Approximately 11.5 million large trucks helped to move 11.6 billion tons of freight in the U.S., Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Deputy Administrator Cathy Gautreaux told attendees at the 2018 Accelerate! Conference.
Thanks to ecommerce growth, 60 percent of LTL shipments are now delivered to consumers rather than businesses, she points out, dramatically changing delivery dynamics. Industry experts predict that the trucking market will remain in solid shape for at least the first six to eight months of 2019. The strong economy and heightened level of activity have significant ramifications for the transportation industry. Here’s a look at a few of the biggest issues for the year ahead.
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Improving Safety From 2016 to 2017, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes increased 10.5 percent, Gautreaux says. Greater congestion in urban areas and distracted drivers likely play a role in the increase. The FMCSA is involved in a number of initiatives to increase public safety. The administration’s “Road to Zero” program is striving to end fatalities on the nation’s roadways within the next 30 years.
