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Truck - Freight transportation[/caption]As with numerous other industries, the trucking industry is changing. As technology is developing, the ‘old ways’ of trucking are beginning to die away in favor of new ones.You may think that the big trend in the trucking world is the trend towards automation and self-driving vehicles. That certainly is one major trend that we are seeing, but it’s also definitely not the only one.Here are the top five trends in the trucking industry for 2019:
Trend #1 - Driver Shortage
One of the biggest challenges that
trucking companies are facing now is a low supply of trucks while also dealing with a higher demand for freight. The main reason for this is because of a driver shortage.More and more drivers are retiring with each passing year, and unfortunately, the number of drivers who are retiring is greater than the new drivers who are stepping in to take their place.What are the main reasons for the driver shortage? There are several, but some of the most notable include the long working hours, the fact that most if not all of the job is spent far away from the home, and rather medium to low pay.Unless this trend turns itself around, the continual shortage of drivers on the road means that we will only continue to see fewer and fewer trucks out on the road.
Trend #2 - Automation
A big trucking trend that
many people have on their minds is automation. Electric trucks are already on the rise (more on this later), but many drivers are scared at the prospect of driverless trucks becoming a think in the near future.As electric trucks only become more popular, tested, and adopted, it can only be expected that fully automated rucks will become a thing. Right now, autonomous trucks are a concept, but experts predict that the deployment of quality self-driving trucks on the road will be our reality within two decades at the most.
Trend #3 - Advancement of Blockchain Technology
One of the
biggest technology innovations of the last few years has been blockchain, or where digital records of transactions are maintained and linked together using cryptography.Blockchain also has massive potential within the trucking industry, because it allows data to be stored on multiple different servers across multiple locations, which means that it will be more secure and far less vulnerable to hacking.
Trend #4 - Higher Fuel Costs
High fuel costs have historically been a problem in the trucking industry, and that’s not changing in 2019. Most trucking engines are built to run on diesel, and the prices of diesel constantly evolve (and usually to the upwards).Diesel prices are projected to continue to rise in 2019, to the point that they are the second largest expenditure for trucking companies now. One reason for the rise in prices is because of the conflict that arises from interruptions among carriers and consumers.
Trend #5 - Electric Trucks Are Now A Thing
Electric trucks, which previously were little more than a concept, are now our reality. In fact, commercial electric vehicles of all types from almost all companies are hitting the road in 2019.In addition, major companies such as Peterbilt, Volvo, and Tesla are supply all-electrical trucks that run solely on battery power this year. This doesn’t just include semi-trucks, but also light trucks and tractor trailer vehicles.Granted, the new electric trucks are not yet widespread because they are intended for short haul routes. Since they rely on battery power, they need to be recharged, and charging outlets are as of now far less common than gasoline and diesel stations.But that’s all likely to change in the near future. Electric trucks still have to prove themselves, but as technology continues to develop and electric vehicles become increasingly common, we can expect electric run trucks to become the new norm in the upcoming years.
Trends In The Trucking Industry
Self-driving trucks are not here yet, although they very well may be in the future. But if you walked into this article thinking that everything becoming automated was the number one trend in the trucking industry, that’s not really true.Rather, because of safety, technical, and legal issues, we can fully expect drivers in the trucking world to remain behind the wheel for several more years to come.
