Used to be that there were more companies and businesses that kept more stuff in stock, with their own warehouse connections as well. Nobody keeps much for inventory. The online connections between warehouses and retail outlets, give real time needs. So the trucks are short term warehouses.
At least that is part of the reason.
Back in 2005 my wife and went on the road in a straight truck. After a few months I was the most dependable driver the company had. And I got good, long loads. I learned to back up the log books and was making in the $10,000 a month range. I paid for my fuel and personal expenses.
The company paid $1.10 a mile and the owner of the truck paid me $.72 cents. It was fun for a while. But it got old. Then they stopped giving me long runs out of fear of getting audited. I left the business.
And apparently straight truck expediting went away, too. Every now and then I see a Panther truck and a few FedEx trucks. Otherwise the industry is gone. And the reason is the distribution system has changed. They don’t have to have things expedited anymore. I guess more people are willing to wait.
As for the ads you’re seeing, remember anything that sounds to good to be true usually is. It’s not the job it used to be.