Our dynamic industry, which plays an essential role in the increasingly complex world of commerce, is facing challenges on numerous fronts: technology, infrastructure, regulation, taxes, safety, and the ever-present and appropriate mandate for increased efficiency and profitability from our customers and our shareholders.
Autonomous and electric tractors garner the headlines as the new objects that some claim will define our future. But the reality is that in 2018 we must continue to service US business and American consumers with efficient diesel fleets, human drivers, and increasing demands for on-time delivery with must-arrive-by dates from customers and consumers who demand real-time solutions. All this despite a crumbling infrastructure that must begin being fixed now.
Advances in software, safety technology, and fuel efficiency have propelled the less-than-truckload industry to the forefront of e-commerce and on-demand economy. More than ever, businesses rely on the LTL model to replace stationary inventory in favor of sophisticated flexible shipping networks, with real-time tracking and precision projections.
The tools of our trade have become smarter. The algorithms that help us manage shipping, track our fleets, monitor road safety, and measure our overall productivity require sophisticated, skilled management. Our industry, which at one time was about directing brute strength to lift, tote, and ship goods, has evolved into a complex technological marvel.
But the further evolution — even disruption — of our industry will continue to require skilled managers able to master the complexity of these tools, drivers, and dockworkers who are well-trained and safety-focused so they can meet the time pressures mandated by our just-in-time, e-commerce economy.
Finally, while we should encourage the research and development in technology, we need to act here and now to encourage public investment in our transportation infrastructure. Highways, roads, bridges, and tunnels need repair. They are fundamental societal needs shared by us all. And we each have a stake in helping to make them safe and efficient enough to meet our transportation needs.