Reports of his demise, Mark Twain quipped, are greatly exaggerated.
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TT file photo |
| Some of America’s best-known brand names are carried to market in their own trucks, like this Harley-Davidson semi. |
The same can be said for private fleets, which over the past two decades have faced competitive inroads by for-hire carriers, waves of corporate downsizing and restructuring, and a steady trend of personnel and equipment outsourcing.
The lines that once cleanly divided private and for-hire trucking are being constantly reshaped as companies search for the most efficient and cost-effective ways of transporting freight and meeting the needs of customers.
Looking ahead, the Internet brings new opportunities for both types of carriers by stimulating demand for home delivery and providing the technical impetus to provide on-demand freight service and lower costs.
For the full story, see the May 1 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
