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No Truck Stops as Road Haulage Dominates U.S. Freight

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We all know how important the railroads have been to our nation and that rail freight is growing - but anyone who spends time on the interstate system will confirm that the road rules when it comes to moving goods around the country.

A new industry forecast from the American Trucking Association confirms this, and expects hauliers to hold that top spot for years to come.

Over the next decade, the findings suggest that trucking share of all freight moved in the U.S. could rise as high as 71.4%, dwarfing rail's projected 13.8%.

Haulage firms also pulled in a record $682 billion in revenue during 2013, says the study, demonstrating the industry's value to the wider economy. 

Aside from the general ease and flexibility of moving goods by road, the economic upturn in the U.S. and expectations that the country's freight pool

One note of caution comes in the form of a more general concern around the country: the safety and integrity of its infrastructure.

With public spending a challenge following years of post-crash political gridlock in Washington, the state of bridges, roads and ports is a growing concern. Prominent figures like Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi have recently made moves to focus attention on the challenges ahead, but the road ahead will be as bumpy as some of the tri-state expressways, if past form indicates future performance of U.S. lawmakers.

We've written before about the challenges to road freight, from coping with fluctuating demand and gas prices to the potential for trucking scams. Nonetheless, trucking remains the backbone of most American supply chains and it doesn't look like that position of dominance will slip any time soon.