A final salute to the knights of the road

Remember the good old days, when trucking was well regarded and truck drivers were considered knights of the road?

We hear that question less often now. But the fact remains, the public’s regard for truck drivers and trucking is not what it once was. Even if you don’t remember the old days, it’s pretty clear that the public image of trucking is not good. That’s why some big carriers and associations try valiantly – but fail – to improve the public perception of trucking and truckers.

What happened?

Well, a lot of things happened, including the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 and the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982.

As result of these two laws, drivers earned less money, trucks got bigger, and the industry changed in public perception as a result – not immediately, but over time.

Before the Motor Carrier Act of 1980, more than 75% of truck drivers were Teamsters. Union wages set a standard for nonunion carriers since they had to compete for drivers. Today, only 2% of truck drivers are union, and today’s driver earns on average less than half what drivers earned in 1980.

Good wages before 1980 meant carriers rarely worried about recruitment. Would-be drivers were knocking on their doors. Carriers could be more selective. Drivers were generally perceived as smarter and more courteous. Of course, there were jerks behind the wheel then, and there are plenty of smart, courteous drivers now. This is about averages and public perception.

The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 dealt a serious blow to public perception of the industry. Trucks got bigger and longer. To many motorists, trucks became more intimidating, and it was harder to share the road with them.

Before Surface Transportation Assistance Act, state limits on truck sizes prevailed. In western states, those limits were more relaxed than in the more densely populated states back east. The law forced the more restrictive states to allow longer, wider trucks. The once standard 96-inch width of big trucks grew to 102 inches. The 53-foot trailer became the de facto standard, and all the old 48s, 45s, and 40s began to vanish.

While trailer lengths were limited, the overall length of a tractor-trailer combination under the act was not. That meant the virtual death of the short, cab-over-engine tractors and the ascendance of today’s longer conventional trucks. Overall truck lengths increased, and motorists sensed the difference on the road. The law also forced reluctant states to accept 28-foot double trailers, something that did not go over well with most folks in those states. While it did enhance efficiency, the act did significant damage to trucking’s public image.

And let’s not forget the rise of the truckload industry and mileage pay.

Prior to 1980, relatively few truck drivers were paid strictly by the mile. Now, mileage pay is standard for the truckload sector, the largest part of the for-hire industry.

Mileage pay by its very nature incentivizes what the entire safety establishment is supposed to prevent – including speeding and driving while fatigued. Of course, good drivers – and that’s most – do not speed or drive while drowsy. But drivers paid by the mile are always aware that when the wheels stop turning, they stop earning. As a result, drivers are less likely to stop to help fair maidens change tires. More generally, the impetus to push ahead engenders a barely perceptible but real psychological sense of tension in fast-moving traffic.

Yet mileage pay and those two 1980s laws combined have had less negative impact than the sheer number of trucks on the road, and on the interstates in particular.

In the past 50 years, the number of trucks has grown enormously. In 1970, when the interstate highway system was largely complete, the U.S. population was roughly 200 million, and there were 4.6 million registered trucks on the road. Today, the population is 331 million, and there are more than 13 million registered trucks. If the numbers (and my math) are correct, there was one truck for 43 people in 1970. Now, there is one truck for every 25 people.

By comparison, highways have not expanded much at all. For example, the original interstate system by 1970 had about 43,000 miles of roadway. Today the system consists of 46,876 miles – a relatively small increase. While the number of lanes in congested areas has grown, that growth has not kept pace with increases in traffic. Traffic has grown denser, and the proportion of trucks in the mix has vastly increased.

You only have to look at photos of highway traffic over the years to see the difference. There are lots more trucks than there used to be. For car drivers, trucks are intimidating and block both their practical and scenic views. Their overall effect makes driving stressful for many. So it should be no surprise that attitudes about trucking have changed slowly for the worse.

Sadly, there are virtually no plans to seriously address the daunting limits of the U.S. highway system – current infrastructure funding notwithstanding. Bigger trucks and mileage pay aren’t going away either. Trucking can spend millions on public relations campaigns, but a significant boost in trucking’s image is beyond their reach. Like all those other knights before them, the knights of the road have vanished into history.

However, maybe, just maybe, incremental improvement is possible, though it won’t have anything to do with slogans or public relations campaigns. It can only happen if carriers and drivers strive to be the best, smartest, most courteous truckers they can be. LL

Also from John Bendel:

• FHWA aims to repave the roads under our traffic jams.
• Poaching truck freight by rail, water and air.