Motor Carrier Industry

The motor carrier industry did not start until World War 1 where vehicles were finally utilized for pick-ups and deliveries. The industry continues to economically advance in the United States where more than $128.9 billion has been used to construct and improve the highway systems. It began during the Eisenhower Administration when the interstate highway system was created where ninety percent of the cost was covered by the federal government and the remaining was covered by the state. The motor carrier industry slowly began to take over the railroad industry for transportation because of the quicker mode of transportation. The industry is so vital to the United States’ economy because it provides so many job opportunities and is a vital function to other industry’s success due to its higher accessibility, …show more content…
The primary issue within the industry is safety as there are many sub-issues within. Hours-of-service, truck parking, driver distraction, and impaired driving are some of the main concerns with safety issues. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), drivers may drive a maximum of eleven hours after ten consecutive hours of off duty. They may not drive beyond fourteen consecutive hours after coming on duty and they must have eight consecutive hours of sleeper and a separate two consecutive hours of either sleep or off duty. Truck parking is another related issue to hour-of-service as there is a shortage of available truck parking for drivers to rest at. With technology increasing with cell phones and touchscreen displays in vehicles, distracted driving has been on the rise which affects the safety of drivers on the road. Impaired driving is a major concern to the safety of drivers and others. In 2015, there were over 37 fatal crashes involving large trucks due to driver’s impairment from either drugs or alcohol