In a changing world, the predominance of long-haul trucking is evolving.

More and more companies are moving to regional and short haul trucking models.

Along with rising tolls, increasing gridlock, changes to drivers’ hours of service, and expanding enforcement of interstate weight regulations, the development of electric as well as “driverless” trucks will impact the future of long-haul trucking. These all seem to be a part of our transportation future and are some of the reasons which make regional and short haul models more attractive to companies to handle the goods needed by our country.

The digital world is changing the patterns of moving cargo

The world is being changed by the internet, and so will the patterns of moving cargo. Traditionally cities grew up around ports, an ageless pattern that is still true today. We predict that with the advent of more data, it will become apparent that domestic water movement of cargo for the longest possible distance, coupled with shorter and more frequent truck runs to the final destination, will result in a positive trucking paradigm shift. Cargos will be centralized around ports again. Trucks and drivers will be re-tasked as “Transportation Technicians” who will use their vehicles to distribute cargos from ports more efficiently in the coming age. Tech savvy drivers will finally earn the wage they deserve for doing one of our country’s most dangerous and most necessary jobs: moving and supplying America’s goods.

Advantages to the regional trucking model

There are many advantages of a short haul or regional trucking model radiating out from a port (hub and spoke model), including:

1. Hours of Service (HOS): Drivers within a 100-air mile radius, (and expected to be more if the latest version of HOS is adopted), do not need to work within Electronic Logging Device (ELD) restrictions. This would allow a driver to make multiple short hauls daily and still be home at night with family.
2. Increased revenue and efficiency: A truck can have more than one driver/shift per day and still have daily maintenance time, adding additional revenue to each truck.
3. Reduction in gridlock/environmental improvement: Transportation between distribution centers can be adjusted to the most efficient traffic times. This will not only help reduce gridlock, it will help wasted time waiting as well as reduce fuel spend and emissions.
4. Higher weight limits: “Intra-State” transportation can take full advantage of higher state weight limits, which equates to transporting more cargo in fewer trips.
5. Alternative fuel vehicle opportunity: Electric trucks can accomplish short hauls within their rated miles/hours of battery before re-charging is needed, further reducing emissions in populated areas.

Water transportation of containerized freight is not possible without trucking

Trucks will play a major role in the shift to water and off of our highways. Remember, the first and last mile of virtually everything we use daily, whether by water, rail or fully by truck, is accomplished by a truck and driver. Reliance on efficient, safe trucking by global and domestic supply chains cannot be over emphasized and will be critical in the trucking paradigm shift going forward.