Now that 2018 has well and truly started, it’s a good time to really look forward and set plans in motion for the year ahead. If you work with trucks in any capacity (and why else would you be reading this blog post?) that means you’ll want to keep up to date trends, advancements and issues that will have an impact on the trucking industry this year.
To help you stay in the know, here are some of the top trucking trends we think you need to be aware of as 2018 progresses:
Automation
It is funny to think that a few years ago, the prospect of driverless vehicles being on the roads alongside us would have seemed like science fiction. Whilst the country may not quite be at that point yet, we’re definitely closer than we’ve ever been before.
The Self-Driving Vehicles Legislation, which lays the groundwork for federal autonomous vehicle regulation, was passed in September last year. More recent news suggests that policies specifically regarding autonomous trucks and buses may well soon be on the way.
Although this is definitely an interesting trend to keep your eye on throughout 2018, we are still probably a long way off from driverless vehicles playing a key role in the trucking industry. None the less, expect discussions about automated vehicles, and whether they’ll be a good thing for the industry, to become a common fixture as 2018 rolls on.
Driver Shortage
It is no secret that a shortage of drivers is a growing issue that has been impacting the trucking industry for the past few years, and it unfortunately doesn’t look like it is going to go away now that we’re in 2018. With statistics showing the industry is short by over 50,000 drivers with former drivers leaving their jobs quicker than new ones can replace them.
This growing shortage means that you will probably see more and more focus placed on attracting younger workers to seek employment in roles throughout the entire trucking industry.
The impact of ELDs
Electronic Log Devices (ELDs) are designed to keep drivers from working more than 50 hours a week, 5 days a week. This should help keep roads safer by making sure drivers aren’t overexerting themselves. From April 2018, each and every company that that uses trucks to haul goods will be required to have installed ELDs in all of their trucks.
If carriers were employing a lot of drivers who were exceeding their hours of service (HOS), then they may see a drop in their shipping volumes, and they will also have to cover the cost of the ELDS in the price of their services. So for good and bad, ELDs look set to make a big impact on the trucking industry this year.
Remember to visit Nick’s Truck Parts in Dickson City, Pennsylvania if you’re looking for high quality truck parts at competitive low prices!