The truckload shipping industry was dealt a pretty tough hand several times during the winter. The Midwest alone provides many examples of the times when winter weather shut down Interstate 80, one of the main thoroughfares of the nation. From trade show freight carriers to specialty freight services, when snow, ice, and flooding shuts down a major interstate and completely interrupts the truckload shipping industry.

Heavy drifting snow can be just as dangerous as sleet and ice and when state authorities make the decision to shut down the interstate they are not only looking out for the safety of the general public, but also the members of the state patrol and local police teams who would otherwise be out rescuing travelers.

The Transportation Industry Plays an Integral Role in the Economy of the Nation

From the groceries you use to prepare breakfast for your family to the trade show materials that you use while you are traveling for work, nearly everything we use was at some point part of the transportation industry. Some items, like the latest farm to table organic grocery items, spend a limited amount of time being on the road; others, like the cars that we drive, may have touched every part of the transportation industry.

Over seas shipping, flight deliveries, and cross the road transportation networks all play essential parts in the lives that we lead. Did you know, for instance, that nearly 12 million trucks, rail cars, locomotives, and vessels move goods over the transportation network? Perhaps even more impressive is the fact reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation that the value of freight moved is expected to increase from $882 per ton in 2007 to $1,377 per ton by the end of 2040.
As consumers continue to expect more and more in today’s society, a growing number of options in expedited shipping continue to grow in popularity. Not surprising, the expedited shipping services that are now offered by many countries play an important role in today’s economy. Spending in the U.S. transportation and logistics industry totaled $1.48 trillion in 2015, and represented 8% of annual gross domestic product. Everyone of these dollars determine that you are able to have the items that you want when you need them.