Trucking Moves the Economy

From the days of the industrial revolution and even before when drivers of horse cart carriages were bringing goods to retailers for American consumers, trucking has been at the center of our economy.

Did you know that the American Trucking Association (ATA) cited in 2015 that trucking is responsible for 68% of all freight tonnage in America? It also stated that nearly 80% of communities in America depend on truck drivers to deliver everyday goods (Time magazine importance of trucking link).

Long haul and short haul truck drivers on average drive 2000 to 3000 miles per week to bring those goods to local communities. Yet truck drivers earned on the lower end of the median around $43,000 annually in the year 2018. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an over the road (OTR) driver is known to drive more than 70 hours a week while earning a little more than $43,000 per year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Trucking has been at core of most economies around the world necessary to move goods throughout the mainland. In the end industry experts and economists claim that generally it’s impossible to truly know how much trucking has an impact on an economy. As consumers, one thing we do know for sure is how we will get our hands on the next cool gadget or a household good will be because of a tireless trucker on the move.

Jameel Saqib
Co-Founder, McCord Telematics – February 6, 2020