Think you know it all about trucking? Test your knowledge with a couple trucking facts. Some of them might surprise you!
What’s in a Name?
Semi trailers and semi trucks are actually two different things. The trailer can only be used when it’s connected to the truck because it has no front wheels, hence the name semi trailer. The term semi truck grew out of that, and it is often shortened to just a “semi.” A tractor trailer technically only references the trailer and semi truck designates only the truck, though they are sometimes mistakenly used to denote the truck and trailer together as a whole.
Numbers
There are about 5.6 million semi trailers registered in the U.S., about 3 times the number of registered semi trucks. Trailers are usually about 53 feet long. There are 3.2 million truck drivers in the U.S., who operate a total of 1.9 million semi trucks, a third of which are registered in California, Florida and Texas. According to Popular Mechanics, “About 90 percent of trucking companies and owner-operators have fewer than six trucks.” The maximum weight permitted for a truck with a full trailer is 80,000 pounds. The engine itself can weigh around 3,000 pounds. About 190,000 new semi trucks are sold every year, one third of which are manufactured by Freightliner, the most popular semi truck manufacturer.
Mile After Mile
Semi trucks collectively log 140 billion miles every year in the U.S., and individually average about 45,000 miles, though long distance trucks can reach up to 100,000 miles a year. While only 15 percent of commercial trucks are semi trucks, semi trucks travel 42 of the miles logged by commercial trucks every year. Gas is one of the biggest expenses for trucks, as they get an average of only 6.5 miles to the gallon. This can drop to less than 3 miles to the gallon if a truck is going up a steep hill, or it can increase to more than 23 miles per gallon going down a hill. New fuel economy standards that begin next year require semi trucks with sleeper cabs to get 7.2 miles per gallon or more.
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 to provide excellent, dependable service.
If you need materials and products moved in the Mid-Atlantic region, contact Evan Transportation. We hire professional drivers with excellent driving records, and maintain a fleet of trailers and vehicles that are reliable and ready to roll.
Contact us today for all of your freight shipment needs or call us at 443-673-3365
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