The trucking industry serves the American economy by transporting large quantities of raw materials, work in process, and finished goods on the ground - usually from manufacturing plants to retail distribution centers. Trucks are also used in the construction industry, such as dump trucks and portable concrete mixers moving large quantities of stones, dirt, concrete, and other building materials used in construction. Trucks in America are responsible for most of the movement of goods on land and are a tool in the manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing industries.
Large trucks and buses require a commercial driver license (CDL) to operate. Obtaining a CDL requires additional education and training related to specific knowledge requirements and handling characteristics such as large vehicles. Commercial motor vehicle drivers (CMV) must adhere to service hours, which are the regulations governing the driving hours of commercial drivers. These and all other rules concerning commercial driving safety between countries are issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). FMCSA is a division of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), which regulates all transportation-related industries such as trucks, shipping, trains and flights. Some other issues are handled by another branch of the USDOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Technological developments, such as computers, satellite communications, and the Internet, have contributed to many improvements in the industry. This development has improved the company's operating productivity, saving driver time and effort, and provides a new form of entertainment that is more accessible for men and women who often spend long periods away from home. In 2006, the US Environmental Protection Agency implemented revised emission standards for diesel trucks (reducing air pollutants emitted by diesel engines) promising to improve air quality and public health.
Video Trucking industry in the United States
Histori
The trucking industry has affected the political and economic history of the United States in the 20th century. Before the invention of the car, most of the goods were moved by train or horse-drawn vehicles.
Trucks were first used extensively by the military during World War I. With the increased construction of paved roads, trucks began to reach a significant footing in the 1930s. Public security issues make it necessary to implement various government regulations (such as the 1965 service hours rules, recently revised with compliance dates July 1, 2012) on how long drivers are allowed to work and drive every day/week. In 1956, Taxpayers provided funds to build the Interstate Highway System, a network of highways and highways that linked major cities across the continent. The addition of the Interstate Tollway System also enabled the trucking industry to grow substantially in the late 1950s and early 1960s and trucks had dominated the freight industry in the latter part of the 20th century.
Trucks reached national attention during the 1960s and 1970s, when songs and movies about driving trucks were a big blow. Truck drivers participated in widespread attacks on rising fuel costs, during the energy crisis of 1973 and 1979. Congress deregulated the truck industry with the passage of the Motor Transport Act of 1980.
Maps Trucking industry in the United States
1990s-present
Modern technological advances have enabled significant improvements in the trucking industry. Trucks are generally equipped with satellite communications features, automatic transmission is getting popular, and truck stops featuring WiFi Internet access are now commonplace.
Flue gas emissions
The diesel exhaust component was confirmed as an animal carcinogen in 1988 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and in 2002, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considered it "likely to be carcinogenic to humans". The diesel exhaust particulates have been associated with (among other health effects) lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and worsening asthma; it has also been identified as a greenhouse gas. "For these and other reasons, alternatives and improvements to standard diesel fuel have been developed.
Biodiesel (in its pure form) is a non-toxic and biodegradable form of diesel fuel made from vegetable oil, usually soy oil or recycled restaurant oil. Biodiesel promises a reduction in some exhaust emissions, as well as reducing dependence on foreign oil supplies.
Beginning in June 2006, petroleum refiners were requested by the EPA to start producing ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuels, which have 97% less sulfur than previous low sulfur diesel fuel. When fuels containing sulfur are burned, sulfur dioxide is produced, a major component of acid rain. ULSD, together with the new air pollution control technology required in trucks (starting with the 2007 model), will reduce harmful emissions by up to 90%.
By the time this action is fully implemented, the EPA estimates that 2.6 million tonnes of nitrous oxide emissions that cause fog will be eliminated each year. Soot or particles will be reduced by about 110,000 tons per year. Sulfur reduction will also prevent approximately 8,300 premature deaths, 5,500 cases of chronic bronchitis and 17,600 cases of acute bronchitis in children. In addition, an estimated 360,000 asthma attacks and 386,000 cases of respiratory symptoms in children with asthma will also be avoided each year.
When not driving, truck drivers need to idle their engines to maintain climate control inside the truck cab (interior), as well as provide electricity for equipment. Engine idling is inefficient and only adds to the problem of air pollution. This unnecessary idleness can be fixed by the strength of the beach (which is the term and idea borrowed from the shipping industry), or the Dismissal of Electrification Trucks. When ships docked in ports, they connect to ground-based power supplies to provide electricity and eliminate the need to shut down their engines. The idea of ​​a coast force was transferred to the trucking industry, and now there are companies like IdleAire and Shorepower that provide electricity for diesel trucks, which eliminates the need for the driver to turn off the engine. IdleAire also provides access to the Internet, cable television, and landline telephone service. IdleAire promises to eliminate one-eighth of nitrogen oxide contamination through "electrification parking"; however, particulate pollution can increase in areas where electricity is provided by coal-fired power plants. Some drivers also experiment with hydrogen fuel cells, which provide clean and silent power for equipment when the truck is not running.
Fuel efficiency
With fuel price increases from the 2000s, EPA and many companies have been trying to improve the fuel economy of diesel trucks. One such example is hydraulic hybrid vehicles, which store energy in hydraulic tanks and hydraulic motors (compared to hybrid electric vehicles that use batteries and regenerative brakes). Electric hybrid vehicles are another option, with savings of 35 to 60 percent compared to traditional vehicles. Drivers themselves can improve fuel efficiency by using a method called progressive shift, in which the driver shifts through the gears (a typical truck may have between 10 and 18 gears) in such a way as to optimize the engine power range.
Fuel consumption
According to research from a survey conducted by students from the University of Michigan, and in collaboration with ATRI (American Transportation Research Institute) in 2015 "54 billion gallons of fuel is consumed by truck for business purposes - 39 billion gallons of diesel and 16 billion gallons of gasoline. combination, powered almost exclusively by diesel fuel, accounts for 75 percent of diesel fuel consumption "
Technology
Like many other industries, the trucking industry has benefited from the use of computers and the Internet. The Internet helps companies explore new opportunities with aggressive sales and marketing. The additional cost of doing business transactions on the Internet is as little as one-tenth as expensive as paper transactions.
Given the limited weight and size of the truck, the increase in productivity in the industry comes from two sources: fewer empty miles and less waiting time between charges. US Department of Transportation figures show that empty routes continue to contribute 29% of the truck traffic of one unit; this has been equated to 15 billion gallons of annual gasoline, costing $ 30 billion, or 149 million tons of excess carbon emissions. Traditional cargo brokers act as intermediaries to manage delivery coordination, helping independent drivers or companies match payloads with available empty trucks. Increasingly, computer brokers threaten the future of traditional human brokers by offering increased efficiency. In addition, brokers controlled by shipments over the Internet allow the sender to post a load and request a direct offer from the carrier. Instead of relying on traditional cargo brokers, the sender works as their own broker, dealing directly with the freight company.
The development of satellite technology has led to increased communications and productivity in the trucking industry. Drivers can enter information from bill of lading to dot matrix screen display only simple text (commonly called "Qualcomm", for their OmniTRACS systems everywhere). This allows the driver to communicate with their dispatcher, who is usually responsible for determining and notifying the driver of their pickup and delivery location. Drivers are no longer required to search for the nearest public phone to convey information about their cargo status, it can be done without leaving the truck cabin.
The driver enters the information, using the keyboard, into an automated preformatted message system known as a macro. There are macros for every stage of the loading and unloading process, such as "loading and leaving the sender" and "arriving at the end destination". The system also allows the company to track the driver's fuel usage, speed, dental optimization, idle engine time, location, direction of travel, and the amount of time spent driving.
Trucks equipped with GPS satellite navigation units have enabled drivers to undo traditional paper-based maps, saving time and effort. Motorists who are willing to pay for satellite radio or who work for a paying company can listen to commercially-free, commercial, sports, news, and radio talk without interference between cities (because terrestrial radio signals are limited to a certain radius of the tower broadcasting). Digital satellite television allows for a smaller parabolic size, which means truckers are not limited to free terrestrial television broadcasts and have more choices about what they watch during their off-duty periods.
Automatic transmission
More companies are equipping their trucks with automatic transmission for various reasons. Operating a manual transmission requires more skill and attention on the driver's part, in part because the synchronized transmission is found in heavy duty trucks. The company has found that switching from manual to automatic transmission has many benefits, including improved fuel efficiency, improved driver retention, reduced wear on internal transmission gears (inexperienced drivers may often grind gears if proper shift techniques are not followed) reducing driver fatigue, and reducing accidents (manuals require more attention from drivers, thus increasing the likelihood of accidents). All these factors together add to the company's benefits by reducing the costs incurred from repairing the driver's accidents, accidents, and turns (a driver frustrated by a manual transmission may decide to quit his job).
Top trucking company
As of May 2015, more than 90.0% of players in the United States long-distance freight industry are owner-operators. Therefore, even top operator companies hold only a fraction of the total market. According to market research firm IBISWorld industry, J.B. Hunt Transport Services holds about 2.5% market share, YRC Worldwide holds 1.8%, FedEx holds 1.6%, United Parcel Service of America owns 1.5%, and Con-way holds 1.4%.
Top 10 trucking companies by revenue in 2015.
Economic impact
The importance of the truck is communicated by the industry adage: "If you buy it, a truck takes it." Retail stores, hospitals, gas stations, landfills, construction sites, banks, and even clean water supplies are entirely dependent on trucks to distribute vital cargoes. Even before the product reaches store shelves, raw materials and other stages of production materials used to produce certain products are moved by truck.
Currently, trains are mainly used to transport large quantities of cargo in long distances. Unless a manufacturing or distribution facility has a direct connection with a train, the rest of the journey must be handled by the truck. The recent implementation of the "timely" strategy has resulted in an increased use of trucks to help meet the needs of the company's liquid inventory. Using this strategy, businesses gain the ability to reduce costs associated with excess inventory and larger warehousing facilities by requiring more frequent shipments. According to industry groups, many retail, commercial, and government services require daily or weekly deliveries to store inventory or merchandise. Many hospitals also move to the inventory system "just in time". The country's busiest gas stations require fuel delivery several times per day, while the average station receives fuel every two to three days. A grocery store requires deliveries of perishable goods every two to three days.
Trucks are critical to the US industry, however, measuring the impact of trucks on economies is more difficult, since trucking services are strongly linked to all sectors of the economy. According to a measurable part of the economy represented by trucks, the industry directly accounts for about 5 percent of its gross domestic product annually. In addition, the industry plays an important supporting role for other modes of transport and for other economic sectors such as resource industries, manufacturing, construction, and wholesale and retail trade.
In the energy industry, about 4 percent of crude oil and petroleum products are delivered by truck in 2012. The shipment is handled by an oil and gas logistics company, which is a midstream service provider that also handles transportation through pipelines, trains and barges. The dominant companies in this space include Aux Sable, Bridger Group, DCP Midstream, Enbridge Energy Partners, Enterprise Products Partners, Genesis Energy, Gibson Energy, Inergy Midstream, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, Oneok Partners, Sunoco Logistics, Targa Midstream Services, TransCanada, and Williams Company.
Agricultural products of $ 118,832,000, or 82.7 percent, were delivered by truck in 2007 (excluding animal feed, cereal grains, and animal feed products). About half of the farming shipments are shipped by trucks hired and half by private trucks. More than 92 percent of ready-to-eat foods, including dairy products and fruit, vegetables and pulses, were transferred by truck in 2007.
In the health care industry, trucks moved to $ 501,445,000, or 65 percent of the total value, of pharmaceutical products in 2007.
Wood and other wood products of $ 168,913,000 were shipped by truck in 2007, which is 91.9 percent of this product class.
More than 80 percent of all US communities rely on trucks to ship all fuels, clothing, medicines, and other consumer goods. The trucking industry employs 10 million people (out of a total national population of 300 million) in truck-related jobs. The trucking industry is a small business industry, considering that 93 percent of motor vehicles interstate (more than 500,000) operate 20 or fewer trucks.
Rules and regulations
A division of the US Department of Transport, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) governs almost all aspects of the trucking industry. Truck drivers are limited by the number of daily and weekly hours they may drive, roads and roads they may drive, and lower legal definitions of intoxication. The Federal Highway Administration has set 0.04 percent as the level of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above that a CMV driver is considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol. The state maintains a BAC level between 0.08 and 0.10 percent for non-CMV drivers. In some states, trucks also have a special speed limit, in addition to driving restrictions on certain lines (usually the far right lane of a multi-lane highway).
Commercial Commercial driver license
Trucks come in a variety of sizes, creating a need for a truck classification system. Truck drivers are required to have a commercial driving license (CDL) to operate a CMV carrying more than 16 passengers, carrying a number of hazardous materials, or weighing more than 26,000 pounds (12,000 kg). Getting a CDL requires a skill test (driving test), and a knowledge test (written test) that includes unique handling qualities for driving large and loaded wheeled vehicles (eg, supporting maneuvers), and mechanical systems necessary to operate the vehicle (eg brakes air and vehicle inspection procedures).
Service hours
The FMCSA defines CMV as a single or combination vehicle (truck and trailer) with a gross weight of 10,001 pounds (4,536 kg) or more, or vehicles used to transport hazardous substances in quantities requiring vehicles to be marked or embedded under hazardous materials regulations. The length of time a driver can spend CMV operations is limited by a set of rules known as service hours (HOS). The law is designed to protect the general public of automotive by reducing accidents caused by driver fatigue.
The first version of HOS was enacted in 1938, and four revisions have been made since then. Newer revisions have relied on research into the human circadian rhythm (human tendency to follow a natural 24-hour cycle with 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep). On 1 July 2013, the driver is limited to 11 hours of actual driving within a 14 hour period, and takes a 30 minute break for the first 8 hours while on duty. After that he must rest for 10 hours. The rules do not explicitly require the driver to be asleep, only that the driver should take a period of "rest" in the bed or not on duty (ie at home).
Tracking the driver's HOS requires the use of a log book. Trucker's log book is a legally defined form containing a box outlining 24 hours a day into the addition of 15 minutes. The driver must determine where and when he/she stops in between driving, what tasks are performed (if any), along with the driver's name, truck number, company info, and other information. The driver should also present his notebook to the authorities upon request, for review. Instead of a log book, the motor operator can replace the electronic recorder on the board to record the hours of the driver.
Weight, size and route limitations
FMCSA sets the limits of length, width, and weight of CMV for commercial traffic interstate . Interstate commercial traffic is generally restricted to highway networks of interstate, highway and state highways known as the National Network (NN). As long as the truck stays in NN, they are not subject to state borders. Country limits (which may be lower or higher than the federal limit) apply to commercial traffic intrastate , provided the vehicle is not on NN.
There are no federal altitude limits, and countries can set their own limits ranging from 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m) (mostly on the east coast) to 14 feet (4.3 m) (west coast). large trucks are between 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 m) and 14 feet (4.3 m) tall. Truckers are responsible for checking the altitude of the bridge (usually marked with a warning sign) before passing under a flyover or entering a tunnel. Not having enough vertical permissions can result in a "top out" or "bridge crashing", causing considerable traffic delays and costly repairs to the bridges or tunnels involved.
The federal gross weight limit for Class 8 trucks is 80,000 pounds (combined weight of trucks, trailers and cargo) with axle weight limited to 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg) (steering shaft) and 34,000 pounds (15,000). Ã, kg) (tandem axle). Truckers are responsible for checking the weight of their own vehicles, usually by paying to be weighed on the truck stop scale. CMV is subject to various state and federal laws concerning truck length restrictions (measured from bumper to bumper), and the length of the truck's shaft (measured from the shaft to the axle, or the fifth wheeled rotor for the axle for the trailer). The relationship between shaft weights and distances, known as the Dirty Formula of Federal Bridges, is designed to protect bridges. The weight and size of the truck are checked by the state authorities at weigh stations or port-of-entry.
The type of vehicle used in trucking
Tractor
Axle and shaft drive parts of large capacity trucks and trailers. Since the main purpose of Cab is to pull the trailer, it is properly referred to as a tractor. The various types of tractors are Yard, Day, and Sleepers.
Bobtail
Bobtail is basically the front of the tractor-trailer combo. Bobtails have all the equipment normally seen in tractor/trailer trucks.
Flatbed
Flatbed is basically a trailer with no closed sections on the back. The back or bed is flat and open. These are often referred to as Stake Beds.
van panel
Van panels come in different sizes. It's as small as a mini-van and has a pretty big box on the bed of a truck. This is seen as a box truck.
HotShot
Hotshot vehicles or trucks are basically pick-ups with a greater load capacity than personal trucks. Hotshots are usually 1-ton trucks up to 3 tons, which can be either double or single tires.
Truck driver
Definition
Truckers are people who are employed as CMV operators. CMV can vary in shape and size, from 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of pickup trucks assigned to transporting special or small quantities, all up to 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg) of semi-trailer trucks. Trucks are ranked class by weight rating of gross vehicle (GVWR). The facts in this section refer to the "heavy-duty" truck drivers (with GVWR at least 26,000 pounds (12,000 kg), which requires commercial driver licenses to operate).
Work environment
Truck drivers spend up to 11 hours a day driving, and up to 14 hours a day are involved in various tasks (including driving time) such as refueling, filling out documents, getting vehicle repairs, and performing mandatory vehicle inspections. Remote drivers often spend weeks away from home, spend their time off and sleep in truck stops or rest areas. Driving is a relatively dangerous job, because the number of truck drivers reaches 12 percent and the highest total number of all work-related deaths, and five times more likely to die on the job than the average worker. Smoking, lack of exercise, unhealthy eating habits, and work-related injuries also contribute to a driver's lifestyle that is generally risky. A survey by the National Institutes of Health found 67 percent of long-distance drivers are smokers or have quit smoking.
Turnover
In 2006, the US truck industry employed 1.8 million heavy truck drivers. The main problem for the long haul industry is that most of these drivers are old, and are expected to retire. Very few new employees are expected in the near future, resulting in a shortage of drivers. In 2005, in the long-distance sector, it was estimated there were a shortage of 20,000 drivers. The shortfall is projected to increase to 111,000 by 2014, but the shortage of truckers by 2014 is about 38,000. The trucking industry (especially the long-distance sector) also faces an image crisis due to long working hours, long periods away from home, the nature of hazardous work, and average income compared to other forms of work (such as construction, which is 1 percent higher than trucks in 2004).
Employee turnover in the long-distance transport industry is notoriously high. In the 4th quarter of 2005, turnover in the largest carrier in the industry reached a record 136 percent, meaning for every 100 new hired employees, 136 quit their jobs. This results in a "revolving door" in most long-haul carriers, as drivers continue to move jobs or quit the industry altogether. Turnover of drivers in short-haul industries and less than trucks (LTL) is considerably less (about 15 percent), primarily due to better working conditions, higher wages, and unionized workers. One study showed that large companies with irregular routes, longer long hauling lengths, and older equipment experienced a much higher driver turnover rate.
Controversy of serial killings
In 2009, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released the results of a five-year study (the Highway Serial Killings Initiative) which investigated the killing of prostitutes, hitchhikers and abandoned motorists. More than 500 female victims have been compiled in the database, most of them killed or dumped at truck, hotel and roadside stops. The FBI has speculated that many of these victims were killed by long-distance truck drivers, some of whom may be serial killers. Investigators speculate that easy access to potential victims, mobility, and lack of monitoring enjoyed by long-distance truck drivers has contributed to this phenomenon. Chief initiative, Michael Harrigan, says most victims live a high-risk lifestyle (eg, prostitution) that makes them particularly vulnerable. In 2004, the FBI began investigating a series of murders in which victims were found along Interstate 40 corridors in Oklahoma and several other countries, which triggered the formation of the Serial Raya Murder Initiative.
Responding to the investigation, the executive vice president of the Operator-Owner's Owner Association, Todd Spencer, said: "Truck drivers are really angry because media sources or FBI will conclude that truckers are overly represented in the chain of serial killers."
Trucking organization
- Timster Union
- National Motor Freight Traffic Association
- Independent Owners-Operator Steering Association
- The American Truck Association
- Commercial Vehicle Training Association
See also
- Glossary of trucking industry terms
- Truck manufacturer in the United States
- Long combination vehicle
- Semi-trailer truck
- Semi trailers
- Commercial driving license
- DAT solution (a.k.a. dial-a-truck)
- Oversize load
References
External links
- Federal Motor Car Transportation Administration
- Statistics and Map of National Transportation
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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