Top 10 Fun Facts About Trucking
Published on
January 14, 2022 at 9:00:00 AM PST January 14, 2022 at 9:00:00 AM PSTth, January 14, 2022 at 9:00:00 AM PST
Sure, you probably know the basics about the trucking industry if asked to explain: It involves big rigs and people traveling miles to carry large loads from Point A to Point B. But there is more to the freight industry than you think.
Here are top 10 fun facts about trucks and truck drivers:
1. 6 percent of drivers are female
The trucking industry may be dominated by men; however, more women are choosing trucking as a full-time career. These ladies from all different ethnicities and age brackets make up 6 percent of the industry -or a total of 234,000 drivers, according to The American Trucking Association.
2. Truckers Spend 240+ nights away from families
Think about all the special moments' truckers miss: First baby steps, first field goals, graduations, and of course, major U.S. holidays. (This is why you should thank a trucker.)
3. Time to fuel up
Commercial trucks consume 20,500 gallons of fuel each year. With an average cost per gallon for diesel trucks being $2.44 (example), and MPG average of 8, we'll just say it will cost a trucker approximately $50,000 at the pumps annually. In fact, the trucking industry spent over $143 billion on diesel fuel in 2011.
4. Landing on the moon
There are close to 16 million active trucks in the United States with over 3.5 million truckers behind the wheels. This means that if you could pile up the vehicles, they would reach the moon.
5. Trucking around the moon
And, if you added the annual distance covered by all 16 million trucks (at about 115,000 miles each year for small business truckers), it would equate to 300 billion miles, or 651,000 plus roundtrips from the moon.
6. Freight transport in the U.S.
Did you know that over 72 percent of annual freight transports in the U.S. are due to truckers? In 2019 alone, freights hauled 11.84 billion tons of goods (ATA). This was roughly a 3 percent increase from 2018. You're welcome, America.7. EPA regulations have tightened
Over the last two decades, EPA regulations have cut 95 percent of emissions from heavy-duty trucks. Clean diesel means cleaner air!
8. Trucks need more stopping time
Trucks need about 40 percent more stopping time compared to a car – that means they need about three football fields of room to come to a complete stop at highway speeds.
9. Trucking accidents
Most trucking accidents are due to sudden or unstable lane changes followed by impairment such as falling asleep at the wheel, alcohol, and illness. In 2019, a total of 2,734 fatal crashes involves trucks and buses in the United States. Stay safe, friends, and pull over if you are sleepy.
10. Trucking industry growth
The trucking industry is booming and expected to increase by 21 percent by 2022, and since this is a multi-billion dollar industry with stable pay and job security, it is a worthy career choice to consider for young adults or anyone looking for an exciting career change.