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Private trucking fleets represent roughly one-half of the overall trucking market. According to FleetSeek, a trucking industry research firm, the total truck fleet count in the United States is 565,253. Some 277,623 of these are private fleets, or slightly more than 49%. The great majority are very small with twenty vehicles or less: 189,849 fleets have 1-5 vehicles; 39,509 have 6-10 vehicles, and 24,465 have 11-20 vehicles.

We’re a mobile society. As we approach the end of this decade, mobility means no longer being tethered to a desk. From the dock to the coffee shop or at a truck stop, trucking mobile apps are changing the ways of our workforce.

Maintaining your fleet has never been more important than now. Not solely because most Class 8 commercial trucks are teenagers; but overall safety and the ability to keep assets moving are critical for business success.

TMW had the fortune of publishing observations from ten important guest bloggers. Each has expertise in areas that matter to the transportation industry. Each brought new or differing perspectives to our readers. Did you miss one? Take a closer look at the key topics, which include technology and its role in: Capacity, Driver Shortage/Recruitment, Network Analysis, Customer Satisfaction, Cash Flow and more. Read one, some or all for wide-reaching views telling more of what’s going on around us.

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Competition today is increasingly fierce. Increasing cost of materials, increasing costs of labor and increasing costs of distribution are putting more pressure on profit margins than ever before. Delivering customer value while making a healthy, sustainable profit has never been harder. But there are disciplines and tools available that help companies do just that. First things first; what exactly is customer value? We must ask the customer because it’s their view – and only their view – that matters here. Research shows some common components of customer value, regardless of the industry. Customers say a big portion of customer value is doing what you said you’d do, when and how you said you would do it. Keeping your commitments or being reliable is the core underpinning of customer value whether you’re delivering a product or service or a combination of both.

Technology influences everything today, even tried-and-true industries like trucking and transportation. The short list of 12 trends briefly covers how tech is changing life on the road as well as in the office.

Staying “in the know” is key to continued success in the transportation services industry. Here are a few front-burner media topics covered during the first half of the year that you may want to further explore:

Considered by many to be one of the top transportation technology events of the year, we hope you'll join us for in.sight user conference and expo 2017 as we continue to connect attendees with the best practices for safety, compliance, fleet performance, maintenance and innovation.

If you’re reading this you already know the problem: the driver shortage will remain an ongoing challenge for those operating fleets over the next decade. And, industry demographics don’t offer any sign of relief.