Perspective

A lot of attention has been given recently to the ongoing driver shortage and the various strategies to resolve it. Much of the focus has been on driver pay.

While debate continues on hours of service, truck size and weight, and their effect on truck productivity, we should not lose sight of an issue that has been consistently raised by major trucking groups and relates to time lost at the loading docks of shippers and receivers.

Within all segments of the trucking industry, safety is always a priority. Two recent incidents — an extremely offensive ad from a personal injury law firm depicting a Class 8 tractor with the words “Serial Killer” at the top and a tragic accident involving comedian Tracy Morgan — have generated outside attention to perceived lack of safety in the industry.

Recent articles have stated that truck capacity is running close to 100%. Industry experts have been saying the increased freight volume that comes with sustained economic growth, plus other factors such as a long bout of poor weather, could create a truly critical situation.

Gridlock in Washington, D.C., is increasingly creating gridlock on our highways. Failure to invest responsibly in infrastructure has led to higher costs for everyone — from trucking companies to consumers.

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the proposed regulation that will mandate the use of electronic logging devices. Personally, I am in favor of using ELDs.

I recently gave a presentation on why trucking companies should improve driver health, and how to do it.

Moving America forward. Designed to move a nation. These aren’t just slogans — they’re mission statements for two industries that are critical pieces of the U.S. economy.

Driving trucks is more a lifestyle than a job, and it’s not for everyone. Drivers often work in the small hours of the night, live on the road for weeks at a time in cramped quarters and pilot big rigs through city streets in maneuvers roughly equivalent to steering the Queen Elizabeth 2 up a creek.

As today’s trucking leaders look closely at new policies aimed at developing higher minimum fuel standards for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks, we also recognize opportunities for bringing consumer costs under control and strengthening the economy while reducing dependence on foreign oil, lowering carbon emissions and minimizing business costs.