Most manufacturing operation have gone to “Just In Time” inventory so trucks have become mobile warehouses.
Of course JIT comes with its own set of headaches. A major Winter storm can bring a factory to a standstill waiting for parts. Or a driver deciding to pay a visit to a lover 2 states away can throw a big kink in operations too.
There are benefits too. More space in the factory for manufacturing instead of parts storage. Truck availability for shipping product. Less inventory on hand to be taxed each year.
I work part time as a rural contract mail carrier in the Mountain West. There is a saying going around the PO, “Every day is Christmas now” As a contractor it sucks because we are paid x amount to deliver a route that once took 2 to 3 hours prior to the election now my route is running 4 to 5 hours due to packages. The actual letter mail and junk mail is down about half.
What I’m getting at is people are buying a lot more stuff since the election.
All accurate points. Especially the just in time aspect, making trucks temporary warehouses more than ever before.
The cellphone has increased efficiency, as drivers can be dispatched on the go. No stopping at a truck stop and waiting for a pay phone to get dispatched. Even if you got an available pay phone quickly, the dispatcher might be busy with another driver.
More and more (union) manufacturing plants have priced themselves out of making parts for the in house assembly line, and have become mostly assembly plants. The parts come from other places.
The shipping container has become a big part of logistics, with trucks moving imports inland. Want to reduce some truck traffic? Stop buying products from overseas.