Trucking is among the top three most common jobs in 29 US states in 2018 according to the US census data, but it wasn’t always that way.
Hauling freight over roads has long been a part of business, but due to the rapid growth of e-commerce, that practice in the US has dramatically increased in the past 20 years.
While improvements have been made to trucking in the long run, it is still one of the most deadly occupations in America and safety numbers have remained stubbornly flat for the last decade.
The US is the world leader in trucking volumes, but road freight is global. Here’s how large it is in other countries.
If trucking does move to to a self-driving future, these are the companies that could lead the way—or be eclipsed by new players.
[Worth noting: Man and Scania are part of the Volkswagen Group. Iveco is owned by CNH, which is controlled by Exor, which also owns Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Hino is part of the Toyota Group.]