The motor carrier transportation sector serves an economic need. Every day a flow of trucks pass through the main thoroughfares around the U.S. to pick-up, transport, and deliver various goods and products. These haulers and carriers also transport an assortment of equipment to serve the manufacturing, construction, and other industries.
Provides An Essential Service
The motor carrier industry is forecasted to grow as consumer demand for certain products grow. As consumer spending capacity for new goods and products increases, transport services will be provided in order to get them to retailers in time. In 2013, the trucking sector transported around 14,500 million tons of freight across the U.S. Some of the products and materials that were delivered all over the continent includes processed food items, vegetable and animal products, oil and petroleum, construction materials, among others.
There are other means of transporting cargo such as air, rail, or ocean-based freight services. However, the motor carrier sector continues to be the most preferred means of transporting cargo in the U.S. To help improve delivery services, GPS, satellite, and various technologies have been integrated into the freight pick-up and delivery process.
Creates Transportation Sector Jobs
The motor carrier sector also provides a steady flow of job opportunities for those with a commercial driver’s license. Those who are employed by a motor carrier services company basically transport cargo weighing at least 26,000 lbs to different locations. The job distance could vary from intercity to across state lines. While doing their job, drivers are expected to comply with state and federal regulations and to constantly report to their dispatching service.
The occupational outlook for the trucking and motor carrier sector is expected to grow within the coming years. In 2016, around 1.8 million people worked in the industry as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and motor vehicle operators. This figure is projected to grow by 6 percent by 2026 to reach the 2 million mark. Many long-haul drivers will also retire in the coming years, according to industry projections, which could open up opportunities for new drivers.
Motor Carrier Sector Regulations
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety (FMCS) provides an essential regulatory service for the industry. Part of their mission is to prevent and reduce accidents and injuries to motor carrier operators and those who share the road with them. FMCS ensures that the nation’s highways and thoroughfares are safe by enforcing laws, educating service providers, and endorsing safety technology.
The agency has adopted a set of standards governing motor carriers. One of the laws enforced by the federal agency recommends only a specific amount of driving hours and rest time for those who work in the industry. Drivers typically work more than 10 hours per day driving, unloading, and performing other related duties.
Motor carriers provide a supporting role in transporting items across the supply chain of different industries. With this service, it keeps the economic pulse going while providing jobs. Behind the wheel are the millions of drivers who spend hours on the road to deliver vital goods and products.