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Trucking industry

COVID-19

The drivers of this economy: Long-haul trucking in the pandemic

by Kai Ryssdal and Alli Fam
Jan 25, 2021
Back in the spring, state transportation departments closed highway rest stops. And that put a strain on drivers.
Kearsey Rothlander, a long-haul truck driver, says there have been ups and downs for drivers as the pandemic changes what freight is in demand .
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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How trucking offers clues about where the economy’s headed

by Justin Ho
Aug 28, 2020
Trucking volume offers a glimpse into consumer demand today, and what that demand might look like down the road.
Container trucks arrive at the Port of Los Angeles. Import transportation companies are doing better than most during COVID-19.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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COVID-19

There's already a shortage of big-rig truck drivers, and the pandemic may make it worse

by Jasmine Garsd
Apr 10, 2020
Many DMVs and driver-training schools are closed, making it impossible for new drivers to get behind the wheel.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has only made it harder to fill a truck driver shortage.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Amid a record driver shortage, Indian-American Sikhs are taking to trucking

by Maggie Mullen
Mar 7, 2019
In the last two years, one demographic has been gravitating towards the trucking industry by the thousands: Indian-American Sikhs.
Mintu Pandher sits inside the cab of his rig at the truck stop he bought a few years ago in southeastern Wyoming. He joined the industry because it was a blue-collar job that didn’t interfere with his Sikh beliefs and traditions. 
Maggie Mullen/Marketplace
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Tesla unveils an electric truck, but will it catch on?

by Aaron Schrank
Nov 17, 2017
CEO Elon Musk said the new electric Tesla trucks will have a range of about 300 miles. But truckers may not want to pay for the cleaner ride. Click the audio player above to hear the full story. 
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Skill shortages hamper fracking operations

by Marketplace Contributor
Jul 17, 2017
Oil prices are recovering. Oil companies are expanding their U.S. operations. But a skilled worker shortage is not helping.
A billboard off Interstate 25 in southeastern Wyoming.
Dan Boyce/ for Marketplace
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Traffic climbed after the recession. So did accidents and truckers' premiums.

by Ashley Milne-Tyte
Jul 6, 2017
Truck companies have turned to technology to ensure employees drive safely.
Attorney Hilary Rowen says the biggest driver of rising insurance rates is the sheer number of hours truckers and everyone else are spending on the road.
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
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