subject: Trucking: A Critical Industry [print this page] Few people realize the critical importance of the trucking industry. If commercial trucks are stopped or severely curbed for any reason, even for a national emergency, the American Trucking Association declares the following is likely to happen:
- Serious shortages, particularly for perishable items, will happen as soon as three days.
- Clean drinking water will be gone in 2-4 weeks. This is because the supplies of chlorine and other water purifiers necessary to cleanse the water are not being delivered to the water supplier.
- Gas stations will run out of fuel in as few as three days.
- If major injuries are produced during a national emergency, urgently needed medical supplies will not be able to be delivered.
- Hospitals and nursing homes will be out of food in as little as a day.
- Hospitals or other facilities will run out of oxygen in as little as a week.
- No garbage pickup means American will be buried in garbage within just a few days.
- Truck stoppage in the region of the Great Lakes will kill the auto, steel, and other major industries, disrupting the flow of cars and other steel products and putting thousands out of work.
- A truck stoppage of a single metropolitan area results in water and food supplies rapidly being depleted, which leads to civil unrest.
A Truck Driver's Life
A truck driver working for a Minnesota transport company earns his living driving a truck such as a box truck, dump truck, or semi truck. While drivers of box and dump trucks mainly stay close to home, a semi truck driver may be away from home for a week or two at a time. A box truck generally delivers locally. A dump truck driver may work regionally, but still be able to be home most nights of the week. A semi driver for a trucking company in MN may drive an auto hauler, a flat bed trailer, a dry van, or a refrigerated truck.
It takes specialized training to learn to properly and safely drive a large truck, and the Department of Motor Vehicles requires drivers of a trucking company in MN to obtain a special license. A commercial driver's license (CDL) is required to operate a vehicle in excess of 26,000 pounds.
A person must be at least 18 years old, pass a written test, a skills test (similar to an automobile driving test but on a much larger scale), and pass a medical physical examination at least every two years. Bus drivers are also required to have a current first aid certificate as well as passenger endorsement on the license. A Minnesota transport company that wants to haul hazardous materials such as fuel, chlorine, or other chemicals must also be certified to carry those materials.
Trucker Safety
Truck drivers have the highest fatality rate of any occupation, and account for 12% of all work-related deaths. Many people think that it is because truck drivers stay on the road too long or don't get enough rest. While that may occasionally be true, truckers by themselves are safer than ever. Regulations by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and frequent checks on interstate highways ensure that drivers follow the rules. The most dangerous hazard for a trucker is an automobile driver, whose unsafe confused or distracted actions contribute to over 70% of fatal truck crashes.
