THE FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL TRUCKING:
YOUR FAVORITE GOODS NOW DELIVERED USING ALTERNATIVE FUEL
Think about it: The food you purchased at the grocery store and
cook for dinner tonight might have come from other locations
around the world. Your clothes bought online might come from a
manufacturing plant across the country. That package sitting
outside in your entryway when you get home from work could
have traveled coast-to-coast before arriving at your door.
Thanks to the trucking industry, you are able to purchase and use
the things you want and need. In fact, the trucking industry is the
lifeblood of the U.S. economy, with about 71 percent of all the
freight tonnage moved in the U.S. being done so on trucks,
according to the American Trucking Associations. As the industry
saying goes: If you bought it - a truck probably brought it.
To move 10.5 billion tons of freight annually requires over 3.6
million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks and over 3.5 million truck
drivers. It also takes almost 39 billion gallons of diesel fuel to
move all of that freight, according to the association.
However, the trucking industry is changing with the times. With a
forward-thinking mindset, transportation leaders and proactive
companies are embracing the trend of using alternative-fuel
vehicles such as electric vehicles in commercial transportation.
You probably have heard of electric cars for personal use, and
maybe you even own one yourself. These types of vehicles are
designed to use a battery instead of traditional fuels, which helps
eliminate tailpipe emissions.
Larger commercial vehicles like trucks and buses may also benefit
from this electric technology. The switch to electricity is slowly
changing commercial transportation. In the future, you might
receive your food, goods and packages — either directly or
indirectly — by a commercial electric truck or van rather than
diesel-powered or gasoline-fueled vehicles. While currently in
limited availability, electric trucks are starting to take root in some
of the larger trucking fleets.
Consider Penske Truck Leasing for example, which operates and
maintains a truck fleet of more than 311,000 vehicles in North
America. The company recently announced it was adding small,
medium and large electric trucks to its overall fleet mix. And, it is
also building out commercial electric vehicle charging stations at
select California locations as a start.
Penske is an industry leader in transportation and in the areas of
operating and maintaining fleets of traditionally fueled vehicles as
well as alternative-fueled vehicles, which includes natural gas,
propane, electric and diesel-electric hybrids.
Early introductions from truck manufacturers and large fleets like
Penske are helping to re-shape the future of mobility in
commercial transportation. The goods you use today that are
shipped via traditional diesel trucks may one day be shipped using
alternative fuels such as electricity.
Pensacola State College
Commercial Vehicle
Driving Training
For more information contact:
Pensacola State College
Center for Corporate & Professional
Development Training
Ruth McKinon
Coordinator, Corporate & Professional Training
850-484-1363
Email: rmckinon@pensacolastate.edu
Fall 2019 21
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