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03-26-2021, 11:23 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 765
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RV traveling - Freight Trucks - Volume - Thoughts
Firstly - I have no issue with OTR freight trucking or their drivers - other than rare exceptions .... they are very professional and courteous.
I recently drove from St. Louis to the Gulf Coast and back on I55
Given ..... traffic is different with Covid impacts
When I drove from St. Louis to Memphis on I55
There were times when as far as I could see it was OTR Freight trucks
I've driven this route many, many times and never notice the volume of freight trucks
I was shocked/surprised to see endless OTR freight trucks
- I recall driving on an interstate near Detroit years ago, I was told that the freight trucks were so heavy you couldn't get into the right lane, I assumed that was an exaggeration but when driving it found it to be true.
- I toured the Tacoma Container Port and was shocked to learn about mass of shipping containers from ships moving product from Asia to the US pacific coast then the mass of trucking of those containers across the US.
I understand that Covid drove on-line shopping which has significantly increased freight. Also I know that reduced airline travel has resulted in significantly reduced freight transportation via passenger plan holds. These have driven an increase in truck freight.
Post-covid truck freight may be reduced some from increased passenger flights but the increased on-line shopping is likely here to stay
Thus I expect for years to come significantly increased OTR truck freight and thus truck traffic. It takes years to expand interstates so I expect the traffic volume post-covid to be much higher.
I also typically see a lot of RVs on the interstate but I saw relatively few. Despite the significant increase in RV sales, I was surprised at how few I saw. This will add a lot of volume to the mix post-Covid.
Just my observations & thoughts from this trip.
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03-26-2021, 01:42 PM
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#2
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 2
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I am one of those OTR drivers, and I can professionally say that the increase in trucks on the road is also due to large businesses not stocking inventory as they did in the past. What we call Just-In-Time freight (JIT) occurred only every now and again mainly with the automotive industries. Now, most of my freight is JIT. And yes, Walmart and Amazon have greatly impacted the freight hauling industry as well.
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03-26-2021, 04:57 PM
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#3
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 23,931
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I don't foresee a big increase. People are buying X amount of product, either from a store or online. The same amount of product has to be shipped either to the store or some place like an Amazon warehouse. I understand that more businesses drop ship, but those shipments are usually small box trucks or vans.
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Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2019 Ford Raptor
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03-26-2021, 09:06 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 281
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I live very close to an I40/I75 intersect. The truck traffic has been just insane for months now. We have also had several accidents where the truck traffic is really noticeable as it sits backed up for miles. JIT for what is what I want to know.
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03-27-2021, 05:45 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: NC
Posts: 1,478
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I10 out of Cali and east to Houston is insane. If you want to exit in the next 50 miles you better be trying to get to the right lane right now. Endless trains of trucks running like circus elephants, nose to tail.
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2010 Chevy G3500 6.0 Vortec
2015 Puma 30RKSS
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03-27-2021, 06:38 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Cedar Falls, IA
Posts: 2,226
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We took I40 from central AZ to Oklahoma City at the end of February. The truck traffic seemed extraordinarily high (we travel that route a lot). I don’t know if it was the truck traffic increasing an order of magnitude or just that there weren’t many passenger cars that made it seem like there was more trucks. I counted a few times, and the percentage of cars ranged from between 10%-30%, depending on how close we were to a population center. I have never seen to few cars on the road, which I put down to COVID.
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03-27-2021, 07:49 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,655
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That is why it was a big mistake to dismantle the countries railroad system. Of the several methods of moving freight, trucking is the least efficient. Number one is by water which has obvious limitations, number three is by air with less limitations, number three is by rail with its limitations, number four is by land.
This means in the end multimodal is always the end means of transportation.
ref: https://forto.com/en/blog/modes-tran...xplained-best/
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2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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03-27-2021, 08:11 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Newmar Owners Club Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Suffolk, VA / Roaring Gap NC
Posts: 643
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Interesting observations, but from an impact standpoint non problematic to our travels. I have more issues with the four wheelers when I come off the interstates onto the state roads and local routes.
As we come out of CV impacts, I expect to have to revise my travel strategies to take into account a large rise in non truck traffic into popular destinations.
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Mary Beth and John + Billy and Barcelona our traveling fur babies,
2021 Entegra Cornerstone 45 F/2019 Chevy Colorado toad
(2019 Newmar Canyon Star)(traded in)
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03-27-2021, 08:37 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Forest River Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray,IN
That is why it was a big mistake to dismantle the countries railroad system. Of the several methods of moving freight, trucking is the least efficient. Number one is by water which has obvious limitations, number three is by air with less limitations, number three is by rail with its limitations, number four is by land.
This means in the end multimodal is always the end means of transportation.
ref: https://forto.com/en/blog/modes-tran...xplained-best/
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UPS and others move a lot of cross country freight by rail. Trailer on Flatcar TOFC. The rail service to me, someone not in charge but who waited for late trains for 30 years , is abysmal. At least it was some years ago when I did that. Broke down train ,Crews who run out of hours in the middle of nowhere and train sits on the tracks . Pure mismanagement. Meeting time in transit with them was very difficult. It was a real love hate relationship.
Todays business have all moved to logistics. not warehousing stock but ordering frequently from central locations. Yes more trucks and soon with a huge shortage of people unwilling to fill good paying trucking jobs... automation. Trucks that will run the freeway part without a driver but one central person controlling/ overseing several trucks. Its already being tested. Actually I'd feel safer with the computer in control than some of the people some desperate companies hire.
__________________
2023 Coachmen Encore 325SS
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03-27-2021, 07:12 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 765
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National news tonight reported that furniture and appliance deliveries have gone from days to months. Many people canceling orders out of frustration. Said issues are across the board. Shortages of 3rd party parts. Shortages of packing materials. HU
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03-27-2021, 09:02 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Elko, Nv
Posts: 2,427
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We bought 2 recliners in Feb and were told June delivery.
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