Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/378850
COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2014 17 impossible a few years ago. With these tools in hand, there is no way that our government isn't going to use them to "make trucking safer," more "environmentally friendly" or whatever. Successful fl eets will recognize increased regulation as a new business baseline and respond accordingly. s )NCREASED OPERATING COSTS. Fuel prices, driver pay, regulations, insurance, vehicle costs and repair costs – all are on the rise, which means fl eets are becoming more ex- pensive to operate. Good businesses will develop strategies to offset those costs and remain profi table. Possibilities include passing costs to customers, charging a premi- um for safety records and modern equipment, emphasizing effi cient maintenance and vehicle operations and making technology work on your behalf. That's a lot to digest, but if ATA's predictions are correct, somebody will be moving a lot of freight in 2025 and making a lot of money. The question: Will you be doing it? T he American Trucking Associations last month released an optimistic report on trucking's outlook over the next 10 years or so, predicting general industry growth of about 23 percent by 2025 and an increase in freight revenues by an astounding 72 percent. The takeaway here is obvious: Whatever happens in the industry over the next decade, the freight and the money will be there – and lots of it, it seems. That said, the next few years aren't going to be a cakewalk. Here's a quick recap of a few issues that trucking is facing: s 4HE DRIVER SHORTAGE. Unless a dramatic breakthrough occurs, this is a problem that only is going to get worse. s 4HE TECHNICIAN SHORTAGE. If you think fi nding drivers is going to be tough, fi nding people to work on trucks as their sophistication and technology grows in exponential leaps and bounds is going to be a nightmare. s )NFRASTRUCTURE. It's a mess. We've not only got to get our current infrastructure back to acceptable levels for today, we've also got to plan and develop an infra- structure that will support the new vehicles and technologies that will make trucking work in the coming decades. That's going to take foresight, leadership and revenue. s &UEL PRICES. With Iraq going to hell in a hand basket amid other global troubles, I keep waiting for sudden spikes in fuel prices to hammer us all. That hadn't happened at press time, but rest assured, the long-term trends for petroleum fuel prices are not in your favor. Having a fuel strategy today is vital for survival in the future, whether that means surcharges, alternative fuels or aggressive MPG-focused vehicle specs. s )NCREASED REGULATION. John Q. Public is scared of trucks, and politi- cians know it. Now, technology is making it possible to enhance vehi- cle safety parameters and track driver performance in ways that were PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS, AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS BY JACK ROBERTS JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. OPTIMISTIC FORECAST: No matter what happens to trucking, the freight will be there. NO CAKEWALK: The industry will have to handle many issues over the coming decade. PREPARED WINNERS: Somebody is going to be making money in 2025 – will it be you? Who will win the future? Those who handle industry's issues will haul the freight