How Different Our Lives Would Be Without Long Haul Truckers
The average person doesn’t often give much thought to what is required to keep store shelves stocked and restaurants equipped with the supplies and foods we need and enjoy. Even during recent months when many of us have found ourselves shopping online and ordering takeout more often, those businesses we rely on wouldn’t be able to serve us if it weren’t for long haul truck drivers.
And let’s not forget about fuel supplies, mail services, and the multitudes of medications, and supplies necessary for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries to function. The majority of those commodities are made available because of dedicated individuals who log thousands of miles to meet demand.
What if deliveries stopped?
Over the past several years, the trucking industry has experienced driver shortages. While strides are being made to overcome these shortages, existing drivers do everything possible to pick up the slack. However, if deliveries stopped even for a brief time, Americans would experience mass shortages and possibly even life-threatening events in a very short time.
To put this into perspective, take a look at the following timeline:
Within 1 day:
- Delivery of mail and packages cease
- Basic medical supplies are depleted
- Manufacturing companies experience material shortages
Within 2-7 days:
- Fresh food, water, and other essential supplies disappear from store shelves and restaurants
- Gas and diesel stations overflow with customers, prices skyrocket and tanks begin to run dry
- Waste management and hazardous material facilities come to a halt, causing potential health and hygiene risks
- Public service professionals such as police, emergency medical technicians and firefighters are unable to function properly due to lack of fuel
- Road travel stops completely
Within 28 days:
- Clean water becomes unavailable in suburbs
- The majority of manufacturing companies are closed due to lack of supplies, exploding the unemployment rate
Truckers Impact All Industries
Most every aspect of our lives is affected by truck drivers and the deliveries they transport. With these professionals being responsible for hauling everything from raw materials and fuel to food, clothing, and furniture nationwide and into other countries, the livelihood of practically every person alive as well as our pets and livestock depends on truckers.
Truckers Drive the Country's Revenue
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, $66.6 billion, or 62.7% of all freight transported between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. is via truck freight. The remaining 37.3% is split among secondary modes transportation including railways, cargo ships, and airplanes.
Bottom line? The freight transported through the trucking industry makes it possible for businesses and people to prosper through the manufacturing, sale and purchase of various goods.
The American Trucking Industry Provides Employment to Millions
In addition to the critical service these hardworking, dedicated drivers offer to the American people, the trucking industry provides employment to more than 3.5 million people across the country. And that number is expected to increase over the next few years. This is due to the influx of online businesses, as well as higher demand from existing businesses. Also, because so many drivers are reaching retirement, the demand for new drivers continues to increase.
The new driver incentives are actually quite attractive. For instance, the special training and driver education provided makes truck driving an ideal choice for young men and women entering into the workforce for the first time, as well as individuals interested in a new career. The profession offers a rewarding way to provide for their families, as well as enjoy sign-on bonuses, health benefits, paid vacation, and financial stability.
So, the next time you pass a truck on the highway or see a driver pulled alongside the shoulder for a brief respite, remember what an important role they play in our day-to-day lives.
And #thankatrucker.
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