You can probably recite a slew of metrics about your own operations, but you may not be aware of the role trucking plays in the U.S. economy or the extent of its reach. Here are 15 interesting tidbits about the industry you live and breathe:
- Charles Freuhauf invented the first tractor-trailer over one hundred years ago in 1914 when a customer wanted a vehicle that could haul a boat.
- The trucking industry is expected to generate $1.3 trillion in revenue in 2015.
- One out of every 14 jobs in the United States is created or directly affected by the trucking industry.
- A typical U.S. commercial truck driver logs 105,000 miles per year.
- The combined mileage of all trucks making deliveries in the country is nearly 5 billion miles per year.
- Approximately 15.7 million trucks are currently in use in the U.S. If you lined up all of those trucks end-to-end, they would reach the moon!
- About two-thirds of all domestic freight transported in the United States is carried by truck.
- Over-the-road truck engines are designed to travel more than one million miles before being retired, whereas car engines are expected to go just 200,000 miles.
- The average big rig carries 80,000 pounds of freight at one time. That’s 40 tons of goods and products.
- The U.S. trucking industry consumes about 50 billion gallons of gasoline every year. This equates to nearly 13 percent of the country’s total fuel consumption.
- In 2009, the average over-the-road truck driver made $35,000. In 2013, that figure was $55,000, a $20,000 jump in income in just seven years.
- Trucks need 40 percent more time to stop than cars.
- The types of goods most commonly transported via truck are food, clothing, furniture and electrical machinery.
- Over the last 19 years, the exhaust emissions of heavy trucks and off-road equipment have plummeted more than 95 percent.
- It would take 60 of today’s clean-diesel trucks to generate the exhaust emissions of one truck from 1988.
While these facts are fun to know, it pays to know about the many resources available to help your business thrive. For starters, look to Triumph for invoice factoring. By purchasing your outstanding invoices, you can get your cash faster without sweating slow payments or taking on debt. In addition to helping you manage your cash flow, Triumph also supports your business with services such as online credit checks, fuel discounts and advances, insurance. Rely on Triumph to minimize the headaches and risks of operating your fleet.
And, keep up with our latest trucking tips and tools on your favorite social platforms:
Join the conversation on Twitter
Become a fan on Facebook
See what we’re up to on Instagram
Get the latest scoop on Google Plus