Sean Kilcarr

When it comes to detailing what’s truly “new” regarding this year’s crop of new models, it’s not all about the physical components that make up tractors and trucks anymore. Sure, we can talk about engine offerings, aerodynamic shaping, brake system types, and much more.

So how bad is the truck parking problem in the U.S.? Well, that depends on who you ask. Some truck drivers say it’s impossible to find parking spots on a daily basis; others, however, say it’s easier than many think—especially if you use technology to help find open slots.

All sorts of technological changes are occurring to commercial vehicles large and small these days—to the point where a variety of them are actually driving themselves, no human hands on the wheel required.

While self-driving trucks (at this point at least) still remain something of a future endeavor, other new technologies enjoy broader usage across the industry, especially in terms of safety: blind spot detection, collision mitigation, automatic emergency braking, and electronic stability control, to name a few.

Small fleets and own-operators provide a large proportion of the freight transportation capacity for fresh foods and produce shipments. Yet they are also poised to be the two trucking elements hit hardest by the impending electronic logging device (ELD) mandate this December, according to two noted intermodal industry experts.

Trucking is confronting a new era of logistics uncertainty, according to an annual report being released today; one where e-commerce, new technologies and business tactics, plus more regional and last-mile freight demand could upend the industry’s economics for years to come.