Trucking Industry Growth:
How Distribution Is Changing the Trucking Industry

The more goods manufactured in the U.S., the higher the demand for trucking services.
Truck Drivers are in Demand
The trucking industry has been up and down along with manufacturing for decades.
The more goods manufactured in the U.S., the higher the demand for trucking services.
But, the midst of the persistent contraction of manufacturing, how is it the industry is still short tens of thousands of truck drivers?
The answers are found in supply chain distribution and one of the fundamental truths of economics: national economies are not a zero-sum game.
The Zero-Sum Economic Theory
The zero-sum economic theory states that there is only a limited amount of economic output in the world. If someone is making money, then someone else is losing. Everything must balance out to zero in the end. But zero-sum is just a theory. It’s not even close to reality, as evidenced by the fact that you can take raw materials and

Manufacturing may be contracting here in the U.S., but that does not mean people no longer demand manufactured goods.
How does this apply to the trucking industry?
Quite simply, people still demand manufactured goods regardless of where they come from. Manufacturing may be contracting here in the U.S., but that does not mean people no longer demand manufactured goods. So our contraction is an open door for other economies to manufacture the consumer goods U.S. customers want. Those goods still have to get to American store shelves as well. And that leads us to supply chain distribution.
Supply Chain Distribution: Changed American Spending Habits
Companies like eBay and Amazon have had an undeniable impact on the U.S. retail market. These digital properties have made shopping online the norm, as people seek to buy what they need in a way that is as convenient as possible. Online commerce has also opened the door to more imports as well. Now, all of the things people buy online have to be shipped from manufacturer to customer. Supply chain distribution is key.

America’s distribution centers added more than 48,000 jobs over the last 12 months, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Consider truck driver jobs in California, along the coast. You’ll find tens of thousands of drivers working in the intermodal industry. That is to say, they pick up containers from the ports and transport them to either regional warehouses or train depots. All of those imported goods are being distributed from the port of entry across the country by way of supply chain distribution.
By contrast, consider truck driving jobs in Indiana. Imported goods are not arriving in the heart of the Hoosier State directly from overseas manufacturers. Instead, the goods Indiana residents buy travel a route that may include multiple distribution centers along the way. Most of that transport is done on the back of a truck.
Distribution Center Growth > Need for Trucking Industry
America’s distribution centers added more than 48,000 jobs over the last 12 months, according to the Wall Street Journal. Logistics and transportation companies that supply services to these distribution centers added nearly 15,000 jobs in August (2016) alone.
It may be that the long-haul trucker will eventually become the rarest of truck drivers. Should things continue on the same track they are on now, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the majority of trucking jobs transformed into regional and local jobs moving goods between distribution centers and retail customers. Smaller loads, shorter runs, and a more retail-centric approach seems to be where trucking is at these days.
Equip operators with the proper tools needed and promote safety to help them avoid injury.
The OPNBar tool, for instance, can help avoid some injuries by providing an ergonomic means of opening shipping containers, checking for low-pressure tires, and aiding operators in releasing the tractor from the trailer.
Please be sure to read OPNBar Extended Instructions & Precautions
Safer Grip by OPNBar™️ are ideal work gloves for all-day use for light manufacturing, warehouse operators, and for use in maintenance areas. Safer Grip gloves by OPNBar are ideal multi-purpose work gloves for various applications like trucking and delivery, warehouses, maintenance areas, light manufacturing, and carpentry. They are also great for gardening, and various outdoor activities that require grip in wet conditions, like boating, fishing, hiking, and biking, and can help protect hands while providing extra grip when handling tools and materials.