Freight Brokers

Motor Freight Trucking - What To Expect

In the early days the invention of the train provided the early settlers easy access to the rest of the country. Trains were used to transport people and goods across country but they were slow and dangerous. They also had a limit to what areas they could travel. Since then motor freight trucking has become the king of the highway. The trucking industry has taken over the distribution of all types of freight. Their large van or trailer areas can hold a lot of merchandise and the trucks can pretty much go wherever a car can go.

Shipping by truck has been a major factor in the United States economy. When shipping by truck you can take that orange which is grown in Florida and send it to California while it is still fresh. The trucking industry has allowed freight distribution to anywhere in the continental US at a much faster pace than trains.

During the early 1960s trucking motor freight became king of the highway when piggyback carriers were first introduced. Until this time piggyback was limited to train travel. The trucking industry began cooperating with the rail industry and the shipping industry and freight delivery soon reached a new level.

Here are some of the common freight trucking classifications and a brief description of them.

Private Carriers: private carriers use their own truck to haul their own freight. An example would be a restaurant which offers home or business delivery. They would probably have a van which they use to transport their food to their customers.

Over the Road Contract Carriers: This would be a large truck that hauled freight from one destination to another, usually across a large area. An over the road carrier will probably be on the road for most of the week and return to his home station on weekends.

Local Contract Carriers: This type of motor freight carrier will deliver freight to local areas and is usually at home each day. This type of service can be found in large cities which need freight distributed throughout the city.

Piggyback Carrier: Trains or ships will transport vans or trailers to an area, usually a rail yard, and then trucks will come in and hook up to the trailer and take it on down the road. Trains and ships have to ability to stack these trailers on top of each other, thus the term piggyback. This type of service has greatly increased the efficiency of freight distribution in the United States.

Long haul trucking is typically one of the higher paying jobs in the country. The larger, more reputable companies usually offer higher paying jobs than the smaller ones. Before the federal government deregulated the trucking industry private carriers also made good wages. Today it is better to work for another company because of the benefits which are usually provided by the company. It is also usually cheaper to drive company trucks too since the cost of purchasing them is quite expensive.

For those who are looking to get a job in motor freight you must first pass an extensive driver's exam which is called a CDL. Within this category there are different classifications such as hazardous materials or doubles (pulling two trailers at once). Along with the CDL you will have to undergo random drug testing each year as well as passing a physical which is set by federal government standards.

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