Little-Known Facts About the Trucking Industry, Part 1

Interested in becoming a truck driver, or simply want to know more about the drivers at our trucking company in Minnesota who transport your goods for you? Then you’ll find this two-part miniseries on little-known facts of the trucking industry to be quite fascinating.

Truckers put in long hours to make sure the goods they carry get to their destinations in a timely manner. They are a crucial part of the backbone of our economy, and their experience on the job is quite unique.

Let’s take a look at some of these interesting facts about the trucking experience.

There’s significant turnover in the industry

Studies from the American Trucking Association indicate that the annual turnover rate for drivers in large fleets is at approximately 88 percent, and about 80 percent at smaller fleets. That’s a massive amount of turnover that points to some of the strenuous conditions truckers must face in their everyday duties.

This accounts for a significant shortage of drivers in the industry who are qualified and capable. Minimum requirements usually include a commercial driver’s license and eight weeks of training with a qualified driver.

Traveling with goods can have its perks

Despite some of the stresses associated with the job, transporting goods can come with a few perks. For example, for truckers who are delivering tasty food items, they might get lucky and be authorized to take a sample of their own. Maybe it’s a pint of ice cream, or a box of a favorite snack food. This may happen for drivers when they’re either picking up or dropping off a shipment. While it’s not an everyday occurrence, it’s certainly not unusual, particularly if drivers work consistent routes and interact with customers on a regular basis.

Trucks become miniature apartments

With so much time spent out on the road, it only makes sense that drivers’ cabs need to be versatile and comfortable for use at rest stops and in between long hauls. The cabs become sort of like miniature apartments for drivers on cross-country trips. They have sections specifically designated for sleeping, and are also able to accommodate some small appliances such as microwaves, cooking equipment and refrigerators.

This is great for drivers who wish to maintain healthy habits and avoid constantly relying on diners, rest stops and fast food. You’d be amazed at how many drivers have small portable electric grills or crock pots in their vehicles.

CB radios are still a fixture of the job

While cell phones and the internet have cut back on how heavily CB radios are used, they are still a part of the job for communication with other drivers on the road. They can be handy for alerting other drivers to traffic jams or other conditions up ahead.

There is also a lot of joking and trash talking that happens over CB radios, and certain types of “trucker slang” are in use that the average person might not pick up on.

For more interesting facts about truckers and the trucking industry, stay tuned for part two of this article coming soon! And as always, contact our trucking company in Minnesota with any questions you have about what K-Way Express, Inc. can do for you.