Aug 15, 2017 • Community

Trucking Industry Trends

Trucking Industry Trends

Trucking Industry Trends

The trucking industry trends reveal the importance of truck freight in America and freight revenue forecasts to grow by 75 percent over the next nine years.

The trucking industry has powered America for over a century moving 70 percent of all freight. As truck drivers move freight across the country so moves our economy. What are the trucking industry trends for 2016? We reveal the answers!

In 2016, the trucking industry:

Generated $676.2 billion in revenue
Accounted for 79.8% of the nation’s freight bill
Moved 10.42 billion tons of freight
Moved 70.6% of all domestic freight tonnage
3.68 million Class 8 trucks registered
Traveled 450.4 billion miles
Powered by small business – 91% of carriers operate six trucks or less
1 in 15 jobs in America is in the trucking industry

“The information in Trends highlights exactly what I tell elected officials, regulators and key decision-makers every day: trucking is literally the driving force behind our great economy,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Safe, reliable and efficient motor carriers enable businesses throughout the supply chain to maintain lean inventories, thereby saving the economy billions of dollars each year.”

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TagsTrucking Industry

Industry Update - January 17, 2020 <h4>By Paul DeCoste</h4> <h3></h3> <h3></h3> <h3><strong>Did you Know?</strong></h3> This week, the Senate passed a <a href="https://www.ttnews.com/articles/senate-passes-usmca-trade-deal">new trade deal with Canada and Mexico</a> that will boost current American exports to those countries by $33 billion. The official 89-10 Senate vote gave us a rare example of bipartisanship in modern politics. Since this deal expands the amount of agriculture and manufacturing that needs to be transported, it will end up being great for the trucking industry. On top of that, this deal introduces new ways to eliminate fraud and counterfeit goods, allowing the digital sector of the American economy to flourish. <h3></h3> <h3><strong>Trucking Tip of the Week</strong></h3> <a href="https://www.truckersnews.com/gear/roaster-makes-in-cab-cooking-taste-homemade/">Cooking on the road?</a> RoadPro’s new portable roaster makes it easy to cook delicious meals right in your cab. The roaster plugs into any 12-volt power outlet and can accommodate glass baking sheets or reusable aluminum baking pans. <h3></h3> <h3><strong>Startup Technology</strong></h3> <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/toyota-invests-394-million-in-flying-taxi-startup-joby-aviation">This startup company is reinventing the way we think about commuting.</a> <h3></h3> <h3></h3> This week, Joby Aviation received a $394 million investment from Toyota. Joby Aviation is working to create a flying taxi that can hit top speeds of 200 mph and run off a battery charge for over 150 miles. In addition to the capital that Toyota has invested, Joby has raised a total of $720 million to make their transportation solution practical for the masses. Although most of the information about this VTOL aircraft is kept secret, pictures prove that it consists of six rotors and has five seats inside the cockpit. <h3></h3> <h3>Combating<strong> Human Trafficking</strong></h3> Susan Collins, along with 7 other members of Congress, <a href="https://www.ttnews.com/articles/susan-collins-7-other-lawmakers-recognized-combating-human-trafficking">was recognized for her legislative efforts</a> to reduce human trafficking throughout the nation. Over the past few years, Senator Collins has supported legislation that targets online forums that solicit human trafficking. She recently helped pass the “Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2019” legislation. <h3></h3> <h3>Tire Thieves Caught</h3> <a href="https://cdllife.com/2020/texas-couple-sentenced-for-semi-truck-tire-theft-conspiracy/">Joel Vargas, 34 and his wife, Angelica Vargas, 39</a>, were recently sentenced to 235 months and 60 months, respectively, in federal prison for robbing more than 100 tire stores over a 15-year period. They continuously targeted commercial tire businesses and stole numerous amounts of rental vehicles to carry out their jobs. They are part of a multiple-person conspiracy which ended with the convictions of five other individuals.

Jan 17, 2020 • Carriers

Most Popular Trucks in America [p]The top-selling and most popular truck in America might come as a surprise for some.[/p] [h2]What's the Most Popular Truck in America?[/h2] [p][b]1. Freightliner[/b][/p] [p]The [a href="https://app.appsflyer.com/com.sixdays.truckerpath?pid=Social Facebook"]top-selling semi-truck in America is Freightliner[/a] selling over 190,000 trucks annually. Freightliner is the most popular truck in America making up 40 percent of the market share. In addition, Freightliner is the largest truck manufacturer in the U.S., employing over 3,000 workers at its factories in Cleveland and Mt. Holly. Founded in 1942, Freightliner is a division of Daimler, the German company that also owns Western Star and is responsible for manufacturing Mercedes-Benz.[/p] [p]While the 2007 model is the most popular Freightliner on the market, the company is investing in the future of trucking. Last year Freightliner introduced a SuperTruck which was reported to get 12 mpg, outfitted with cutting-edge technology and a more aerodynamic style.[/p] [video id="jgXh9Vxbx1s"] [p][b]2. Kenworth[/b][/p] [p]PACCAR is the parent company of Peterbilt and Kenworth with an annual revenue of $19.1 billion. Combined the two truck brands sold 154,700 trucks in 2015. The Kenworth W900 is a classic truck model with a distinguished long-nose hood and pumps out nearly 600 horsepower. Kenworth edged out Peterbilt by a slight margin in sales, holding 14 percent of the market share in America for 2015.[/p] [p]<iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTruckerPath%2Fvideos%2F1068498406629774%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>[/p] [p][b]3. Peterbilt[/b][/p] [p]Peterbilt is an iconic brand in the American trucking industry. Its popularity has allowed the brand to cross over into everyday fashion. With its red oval-shaped logo and script white lettering, Peterbilt apparel – specifically trucker hats – can found at truck stops, retail stores and various online retailers. Peterbilt makes up 13 percent of the market share in America and is beloved by its owners. The Peterbilt 379 is one of the most popular semi-trucks on the market – just ask [a href="https://www.facebook.com/tonyjusticemusic/"]Tony Justice[/a] and his hit song.[/p] [video id="CzfdW7JQsKw"] [p][b]4. International[/b][/p] [p]Navistar International has been producing trucks since it was founded in 1902. The International LoneStar model is known for its unique crosshatch grills (though not shown in the special edition video below). Navistar also has a division called Navistar Defense, which manufactures military tactical vehicles. It holds 11 percent of the market share in America.[/p] [video id="PSr5Dr56VgE"] [p][b]5. Volvo[/b][/p] [p]Volvo trucks make up 10 percent of the heavy-duty truck market share in America. That's pretty substantial when you consider the competition of the American truck brands. Volvo is a Swedish manufacturer that also owns Mack Trucks – known for the Pinnacle truck series and its Granite dump trucks. Although fifth in terms of the American truck market, Volvo is the second largest heavy-duty truck producer in the world. They also happen to be the preferred choice for Jean-Claude Van Damme to practice his splits on! Precision displayed at its finest.[/p] [p]<iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTruckerPath%2Fvideos%2F988700387942910%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>[/p] [p][i](NOTE: these rankings are based on trucks sold in the U.S. during 2015)[/i][/p] [button-green href="https://truckerpath.com/trucker-path-app/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=mostpopulartruck"]Learn More About Trucker Path[/button-green]

Jan 27, 2017 • Community

Freight Broker Software [h2] Freight Broker Software [/h2] [p] Like any industry, the use of technology in freight has rapidly advanced and new freight broker software promotes efficiencies and allows brokers the ability to connect its customers to move more freight and increase potential earnings. [/p] [h2] Carrier Essentials [/h2] [p]When you are searching for the right freight broker software for your business there are a few key features you need when it comes to managing the trucks you work with. The essentials on the carrier side should include:[/p] [p]<strong>Carrier Lists:</strong> to keep a record of all of the carriers you have a contracted relationship with. Keeping a list of carriers to go to for certain lanes or projects makes your job of covering freight much easier.[/p] [p]<strong>Carrier Information:</strong> it's beneficial to have all the carriers you work with documented. This means having the motor carrier number (MC#) or Department of Transportation number (DOT#) linked to updated insurance, a record of loads ran as well as any additional terms and conditions. [/p] [h2]Client Essentials[/h2] [p]<strong>Client Addresses:</strong> the most important thing to consider for choosing software in regards to your clients is to track the pickup and delivery locations (sheds). Having all the sheds tracked in your system will allow you to easily create loads for the lanes you are working on. Knowing if those facilities are appointment based on first come first serve (FCFS) is also beneficial. [/p] [p]<strong>Load History:</strong> having a record of the loads you ran will help tremendously not only when it comes time to send invoices but also when you are comparing rates or running a lane frequently. With a record of the common lanes, you have run for a customer you have a blueprint for future loads and can easily compare rates. [/p] [giphy]<iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/3oriO7A7bt1wsEP4cw" width="480" height="336" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe>[/giphy] [h2] Load Management Essentials [/h2] [p] <strong>Load Building:</strong> this is the most important aspect of your potential software choices. To build a load you need to have sheds for pickup and delivery, carrier on the load, and location tracking. [/p] [p]<strong>Location Tracking:</strong> Thus software helps keep your customers happy. Knowing when a load has been booked, dispatched, picked up, and delivered are four things you will want to relay to your client. In addition having a function allowing you to track the location of the load either with automatic GPS or manually logged updates will help you stay ahead of potential issues and set you apart from a Fed Ex or UPS where you have no idea where things are while on the road.[/p] [p]<strong>Carrier on Load:</strong> having a list of qualified carriers is great and all, but what good is it if you cannot add them to loads. This makes tracking loads much more efficient and avoids confusion when you have several loads over the road. [/p] [p]<strong>Pay and Bill Rate:</strong> tracking the amount you will be billing your client and paying the carrier makes for easy calculation of margins and load budgets. This will make accounting much easier to manage.[/p] [p]<strong>Rate Confirmations:</strong> knowing what you are charging your client and paying your carrier is great, but being able to generate the confirmation binding them both is even better. If your freight broker software can generate these documents for you, it will save you loads of time. You can get the truck on the road right away instead of having to write out an email with pickup and delivery cities, load specifics, FCFS or Appointment times, and rate.[/p] [h2]Additional Software Tools[/h2] [p]<strong>Accounts Payable/Receivable:</strong> while having a feature like this included in your freight broker software is helpful, it is not essential. When it comes down to it billing your customer and paying carriers comes down to keeping an accurate spreadsheet which will already be installed on your computer. [/p] [p]<strong>Bill of Lading Generation:</strong> this is another feature you may or may not need. Most of the time the shipper will have the bill of ladings created for the driver but in the off chance, they ask you to make one a word processor is all you need. Blank BOLs can be downloaded off of a simple google search or made using tables in a word processor: it needs a pickup number (if applicable),pickup address, delivery address, and special instructions. If a freight broker software suite is going to charge you extra to do that, pass on it.[/p] [p]<strong>Carrier Search/Load Post:</strong> you may see different broker software programs with a feature to help you find a carrier for your loads. However, all they are doing is pulling data from load boards. Why pay extra when you can use load boards like <em>Truckloads</em> to post your load and find carriers yourself?[/p] [p]Selecting your broker software comes down to what you feel you really need for your freight business. When it comes down to it you might not need much to get started, but choosing the right freight broker software can help can you maximize efficiency and increase potential profits.[/p] [video id=snyBYpnuhWw] [button-green href="https://ship.truckerpath.com/signup?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=software&utm_campaign=Aug8"]Try Truckloads for Free[/button-green]

Aug 09, 2017 • Brokers