The History of Trucking

The U.S. trucking industry was a fledgling enterprise until the 1920s, when the internal combustion engine was engineered to handle sustained high speeds, and inflated tires carried heavier loads without damaging roads. Throughout the 20th century, regulatory laws were implemented to ensure safety, efficiency and to protect workers and the environment. In the late 20th century some regulations were rolled back to encourage new competition.

Uniform Regulations

The Interstate Commerce Commission created under the Motor Carrier Act in 1935 established rest hours for drivers, approved trucking routes and set tariffs for freight hauling.

Containerization

Shipping costs were reduced dramatically by the mid-1950s through containerization, which transfers goods from container ships and railroad cars to tractor-trailer rigs for delivery.

Deregulation

Congress partially deregulated the industry in 1980 to encourage competition, but it also killed off 33 percent of the largest U.S. trucking companies, because of overzealous competition.

NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement, also known as NAFTA, was implemented in 1994 to provide the United States with goods trucked from Mexico's manufacturing plants.

Recession

The industry was struck hard by the 9/11 tragedy and a recession in 2001, when the demand for Class 7 and 8 trucks slackened, as the sales of goods dropped, putting hundreds of thousands of industry employees out of work.

Consolidation

The trucking industry rebounded by 2002, as more companies consolidated operations and absorbed smaller competitors to increase freight hauling numbers.

Resources

• More on trucking