In the past two years, the trucking industry, like most industries in America, experienced the harsh realities of what many termed “the worst recession in our lifetime.” For the survivors, the question is, “When will we see a rise back to profitability — back to robust freight volumes, back to the need for new trucks and trailers, back to having headaches over where to find drivers?”
The timing of that was speculated about for a good portion of 2010, and now seems destined for an ominous “later date” in 2011. The simple truth is this: No matter how robust the economic recovery, or when it takes place, there is only one certainty: The trucking industry will re-emerge during some of the most significant, changing times since the days following deregulation in 1980.
The list of issues the industry must address is greater than at any time in trucking history: The Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, hours of service, electronic logging and fuel efficiency standards are but a few of the hot-button items likely to have a tremendous impact on the industry as they evolve in the coming months.
Change doesn’t stop there, however, and the industry must be prepared for what the future holds. Several equally important and complex issues are bubbling just below the surface, most notably determining how future infrastructure projects will be funded, transitioning to alternative power and fuel for trucks, protecting the independent contractor model and the manner in which drivers are paid, and adapting to the nation’s growing need for freight capacity.
These are, without question, game-changing times.