Trucking is big business in the United States. One source offers the following statistics.
"The trucking companies, warehouses and private sector in the U.S. employs an estimated 8.9 million people employed in trucking-related jobs; nearly 3.5 million were truck drivers. Of this figure UPS employs 60,000 workers and 9% are owner operators. LTL shippers account for around 13.6 percent of America's trucking sector".
In addition, there are 15.5 million trucks on U.S. roadways of which 2 million are semis and trucks deliver over 70% of all freight in the country.
These figures show how much the truck industry in a vital part of our economy. I doubt there isn't a person out there who hasn't been annoyed by semi trucks on the road at one time or another. They're oversized and intimidating alongside any automobile or SUV on the market and there can be no question they are harmful to the environment.
To safely pass one people worry about the truck coming into their lane and may even be saying a silent prayer. The same holds true when a semi comes up behind you or zooms by with enough force to rock your vehicle.
Yet, a little respect please. The trucking industry is vital to the American economy. Until someone either comes up with an alternative, viable solution for transporting goods from one coast to the other - then semi trucks will be a regular spectacle on our highways and maying the industry safer the challenge of this blog.
