Learn all about the history of the trucking industry.
Oh the places trucks will go! It is not uncommon for you to see trucks driving alongside your vehicle on the interstate. Trucks are an important part of the transportation industry. For centuries, companies have relied on truck drivers and their large freight carriers to transport commercialized goods, products and other materials from one place to another. While you see these everyday tractor-trailers on the road what you might have not known is that the trucking industry has been around for centuries.
Prior to the first introduction of trucks in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, wagons, horses and trains dominated the transportation industry. These horses and wagons were used by people every day for short trips and runs to the convenience stores while trains were used for much longer voyages and for shipping heavy freight and materials from one coast to another.
To begin, trucks were simply motorized versions of wagons and horse buggies with flat fronts and motors directly underneath your behind. At this time, a paved road was hard to come by so trucks, who were armed with solid rubber tires, were forced to make a very uneasy ride toward their end destination. It wasn’t until later that they were equipped with air-fill tires and a fifth wheel element allowing truck speed and travel time both to increase. In 1912, there were an estimated 10,000 trucks in the United States making deliveries around large populated cities. During that time, trucks were also fit with headlights making it possible to travel overnight and not waste valuable time sleeping or waiting around for daylight to arrive. Four years later, in 1916, a monumental 31-day truck voyage from the furthest city on the west coast, Seattle, WA to the east coast city of New York City, NY, allowed everyone to see just how influential and vital truck transportation would become in our daily lives and means of business.
The popularity of trucks grew overtime. From military use during World War I to the decades of prosperity and protest in the 1950’s and 1960’s, the government began to regulate specific areas of the trucking industry and in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, popular songs about the large freight carriers made their way onto the music scene.
In 1980, the Motor Carrier Act of the 1980’s was passed, deregulating the trucking industry with specific rules and regulations on travel routes. Advances in technology and design to trucks that occurred in the 1990’s and still is changing to this day, gives trucks the opportunity to have advanced satellite communication features and automatic transmissions. Also, the addition of truck stops and internet capability have made the overnight stays or naps allocated to the more than 10,000 trucks and drivers on the road today more suitable and luxurious then it was back in the early days of the trucking industry.
Evan Transportation was founded in 1992 by Jerry Wolfarth, who at the time had over 25 years of experience in the trucking and transportation industry. The initial operation consisted of a few trucks and drivers who were dedicated and professional. The goal of the company was, and remains, to provide excellent, dependable service.
We hire drivers with previous trucking experience, who know how to avoid these common mistakes while driving. Our drivers know how important safety is while on the road, which is why they are trained in safety before they are on the road.
Contact us today for all of your freight shipment needs or call us at 443-673-3365. We will discuss your tractor trailer options for the freight you wish to ship.