The need for truck transportation is growing. The population of the United States is projected to increase by 17 percent by 2020, which is expected to lead to an increase in the demand for food, fuel, building materials, and other goods. This growth will add pressure on existing roads, as crumbling highway infrastructure and increasing non-truck traffic will add to congestion.
Transporting perishable and time-sensitive goods
Transporting perishable and time-sensitive items by truck presents a variety of challenges and benefits, especially if you have a large volume of goods. Fortunately, there are several alternatives. These options include rail, air, and ocean. Depending on the goods, airfreight may be the best option. Airfreight uses refrigerated containers or ships.
Perishable goods must be transported within a certain period of time to prevent damage from ambient air and temperature fluctuations. As such, proper communication with the shipper is essential. This will help avoid unnecessary risks and help the transporter make the right decisions. In addition, proper communication will ensure the safety of the goods. Read more about Part Truck here.
The IATA defines perishable cargo as “goods with a limited shelf life and require refrigeration to prevent spoilage.” Perishable goods include dairy products, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and plants. The environment surrounding such products can be highly hostile, so proper handling is essential.
Transporting regulated commodities
Transporting regulated commodities by truck is a legal activity that requires a commercial motor vehicle license (FMCSA). The rules vary from state to state, but generally a company must have a USDOT Number to operate. There are also some exemptions, including those for transporting exempt commodities. These commodities include certain fruits and vegetables, small value items, and unprocessed goods.
In December 2017, the FMCSA published Federal Register notices proposing new regulations for the transport of regulated commodities by truck. These new rules are intended to provide clarity for industry, law enforcement, and the public while preserving safety. The FMCSA is committed to finding solutions and exploring new opportunities to meet the needs of the industry. The proposed guidelines received nearly 850 public comments.
In addition to the new rules, FMCSA also updated guidance for agricultural commodities transporters. This guidance allows for greater flexibility in hours-of-service exemptions for agricultural commodities when traveling to several loading points in the same day. In addition, agricultural commodity transporters will no longer be subject to the 30-minute rest break rule.
Transporting passengers
Transporting passengers by truck has its advantages and disadvantages. There is a significant cost involved, especially in long haul trucking, and passengers can be exposed to a range of risks. There are also several laws and regulations that must be adhered to, especially with regard to human trafficking. As a result, many companies have stricter passenger limits than others.
Transporting intermodal cargo
Truck transportation for intermodal cargo is similar to truckload freight transportation, but it has a few key differences. Truckload shipments are a one-to-one relationship, while intermodal shipments have many-to-many relationships. Unlike truckloads, intermodal shipments never stop moving between pick-up and final delivery. This increases their on-time performance and adds to their capacity.
Intermodal transport also saves money. It can save shippers 10 to 40 percent on their shipping expenses. This is because intermodal shipments use rail rather than trucks, which means less fuel consumption and handling costs. Additionally, rail can move one ton of freight more than four hundred and seventy miles on one gallon of gasoline.
Intermodal transportation combines trucks and railroads, allowing shippers to reduce costs and increase capacity. This method has many benefits for shippers and is now a standard transportation method for a wide range of goods. In fact, it has the highest return on investment of all modes of transportation, and is increasingly the preferred mode for many companies.