The transportation industry moves towards more sustainable work practices year be year. According to transportation industry trends, a sustainable business model would include better regulatory compliance, electric and self-driving trucks, better wages for drivers, and an overall more driver-friendly work environment.
Based on the latest transportation industry statistics, drivers in the United States transport over 70% of the country’s cargo.
To meet the high demand for transportation services, existing processes will also require urgent adjustments such as expedited license applications and lower driver age requirements.
The Not-So-Jolly Implications of the Holiday Rush
The e-Commerce boom of 2020 saw an estimated 3 billion packages shipped across the US during the holidays. You can expect this figure to increase as holiday sales across the country are estimated to reach $3.3 trillion. And to add to it, the holiday season is upon us, bringing with it an influx of online shoppers expecting rapid shipping.
To ensure that the industry can keep up with the increased demands, transportation companies must maximize available technologies and adopt new strategies to reduce workloads and effectively streamline day-to-day operations.
Is Transportation a Good Career Path?
Despite the challenges that currently riddle the industry, transportation and logistics jobs are great career options. People in transport are essential workers. They bolster the global economy by facilitating the fast and efficient transport of goods, and life-saving supplies, globally.
Without truckers and transport staff, an already-compromised economy would have collapsed under the weight of widespread lockdowns, with no way to open physical stores or make essential goods available. The transport industry helped numerous industries survive, and now it is ripe for innovation and sustainability.
Many transportation companies, like, for example, MDB Transportation, have a profitable transportation business because they have succeeded in integrating cutting-edge transportation technology into their business models. And because they offer some of the best paying jobs in transportation, they have also been able to onboard new and dedicated drivers.
Key Trends In The Industry
While changes in the logistics and transportation industry may take some time to implement fully, businesses in the sector are considering these key trends to stay competitive in the long term.
Shift Toward Technology
Trends in the transportation industry reveal that the future of transportation is contingent on the adoption of technology, such as MaaS, AI, electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and more. In short, as the demand for transportation services rises (largely due to e-commerce), so should the number of solutions that seek to augment the current workforce.
Focus on Sustainability
We cannot say this enough — sustainability is the name of the game. In an age where the consequences of the current climate crisis are becoming more apparent, consumers and businesses alike are keeping up with sustainable business news and practices.
Consumers are no longer turning a blind eye to sustainable measures and expect the businesses they support to do the same. In the context of transportation, this means investing in electric vehicles, veering away from fossil fuels, and adopting stringent fuel consumption measures to reduce carbon footprint.
Supporting Employee Wellbeing
The pandemic also shed light on a less-talked-about but no less important aspect of most workers’ daily lives: mental health. For transportation workers, this means being able to have a semblance of work-life balance, a job that compensates them fairly, and overall better health and safety standards. Practices like team truck driving (having two drivers sharing shifts in one vehicle) also allow friends and family members to share jobs, lessening fatigue and improving mental well-being.
