Salute to National Transportation Week

It’s that time of the year again, and we are currently in the midst of National Transportation Week, hosted by the National Defense Transportation Administration. Every year, the American economy relies on transportation networks in order for us to sustain our way of life, and it’s during this week that we pause to show our appreciation to those of you that keep this essential industry both moving forward and safe.

This year’s theme is Veterans in Transportation – Still Serving America! The theme is meant to emphasize current and past contributions of our military heroes in the transportation industry. The industry as a whole has a large number of former and active veterans, and the NDTA would like to recognize them for using their skills to help move America forward in more ways than one.

Every year during National Transportation Week, one day is dedicated specifically to recognizing the men and women working in the transportation industry that also contribute to the defense of our great nation. Since 1957, the president has mandated that National Defense Transportation Day fall on the third Friday of the month during NTW, and this year President Obama has officially designated May 15, 2015 as that day.

So far, 2015 has been great to the transportation industry, and over the past year the trucking business has taken monumental bounds that many thought to be impossible. Let’s take a look at the past year in trucking:

• Trucking Related Industries Reach Nearly 7 Million Employees: Employees of trucking related companies have reached an all-time high, with over 6.9 employees. That equates to one out of every 16 workers in the entire country!
• Trucking Industry Revenue Tops $700 Billion: For the first time ever, the trucking industry reached over $700 billion in revenue. For the 2014 year, the industry recorded approximately $700.4 billion in revenue, the highest such mark in history, and an increase of 2.4 percent from 2013. 
• The Average Combination Truck Traveled 69,000 Miles: That’s right, the average combination truck in the United States traveled over 69,000 miles last year. Now that’s a lot of driving!
• Trucks Moved a Total of 9.96 billion Tons of Freight: The total amount of freight transported by trucks in the United States in 2014 was an astounding 9.96 billion tons. That’s over 19 trillion pounds!
• The First Autonomous Freight Truck Was Introduced: Just a few short months ago, the first autonomous truck was introduced, and has already been deemed street legal in Nevada. The truck is expected to help reduce trucking accidents, mitigate driver fatigue, and even reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 5 percent. To see the truck in action check out the video below!

So as you can see, truckers really do move America. Without all of your contributions, dedication, and hard work, our economy would come to a standstill. So a special thanks for all that you do, and enjoy your well-deserved week of celebration!

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