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‘Fantastic’ October trailer orders push into record territory

Chaotic freight environment, carrier profits, production constraints drive backlog well into 2021—at least.

Pandemic-driven economic trends have swung the transportation equipment market pendulum into record positive territory, as industry analysts report an ongoing and massive surge in new trailer orders.

Preliminary information for October from ACT Research indicates that the US trailer industry booked 54,200 net orders for the month, up 6% from September and more than 68% better than the same month last year.

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Driver Shortage, Insurance Cost, Top Trucking Industry Concerns

Finding truck drivers, especially as the current group ages and more people are reluctant to spend time from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, is the trucking industry’s biggest challenge.

That’s the finding of the latest annual American Transportation Research Institute survey of the biggest issues facing the industry.

Motor carrier chief executives also echo the same problem as they report third-quarter financial results to industry analysts and investors.

Trucking rates are going up because the industry can’t find enough drivers to meet freight demand.

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Truck stops keep pace with pandemic and prepare for a long winter

To help drivers keep socially distant from others, travel centers are focusing on mobile apps and grab-and-go food; truck stops are also stocking up with supplies to help truckers get through for the cold months.

As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues — even accelerating in most states — truck stops are keeping up with drivers’ needs while keeping them and staff as safe as possible. The facilities are accomplishing this by making sure that everyone is adhering to best practices guidelines, updating and expanding the use of mobile apps and offering more grab-and-go foods to help drivers spend less time inside.