Every 30 years or so the trucking industry goes through a MAJOR disruption, you can trace this back to 1920:
1) 1920's: Diesel engines Radically change the way we move freight
2) 1950's: Interstate Highway System Radically changes the way we move freight
3) 1980's: De-Regulation Radically changes the way we move freight
Here we are roughly 30 years later, starting around 2010, what is the major disruptor this time?
TECHNOLOGY
After researching studying and listening to a lot of people who know a lot about this topic, I'm making some predictions. I'm so confident in where we are headed we will be transforming our company to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities it will create.
If you study the first three major disruptions you will see that that were many, many losers, companies failed and people went out of business, employees lost jobs. That's why it is considered a major disruption. There were plenty of large trucking companies before de-regulation, only 3 major truckload players made it through to the other side (Anyone know who they were?)
Don't shoot the messenger, but I think the major loser in this technology revolution is going to be the driver. Carriers will do anything they need to to do to replace the driver, look at every problem that carriers they all leads back to drivers, recruiting, HOS, health insurance (Thanks Obama) Drug testing, accidents, customer service, and of course wages, the driver is the most expensive part of the operation. Eliminate the driver and you also eliminate workers comp, SS, Medicare, the list goes on and on.
BUT, there is also going to be some winners and I'm not talking about the fleets, I could care less about them, they will fight it out and the most innovative nimble fleets will survive.
Here is what I'm excited about, as all of the technology disrupts the system, there will be HUGE opportunities for very qualified Owner Operators with their own authority, the technology will help them compete against the bigger carriers in many specialized ways.
I just spent several days with over a hundred brokers and they agree and they are desperately looking for great owner operator / small carriers.
I've attached an audio file where I go more in depth in to what I believe the opportunities are.
There will definitely be WINNERS & Losers, which one do you want to be?
Do you want to be one of the winners? Do you want to know how to take advantage of the incredible opportunities that are going to be created during this disruption?
