Trucker Not Tonight Honey I’m Out of Hours Shirt

Every time you drive down the highway, you are likely to see a semi truck traveling down the road, too. Today, semi trucks are a common sight, but there was a time where it was rare to see a large truck on the road. Before the invention of automobiles, freight was moved by train or horse-drawn wagons.In the 1900s trucks had solid rubber tires that made trips very rough and slow. It took a month for a truck to drive across the U.S.! Around 1920, air-filled tires were introduced, allowing the trucks to travel at higher speeds.When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, it had a big impact on truck use and development. Trucks were needed by the military, so truck manufacturers focused on engineering reliable vehicles appropriate for combat. These engineering tactics were passed down to the trucks that were being used for freight transportation to improving them, too. Another reason trucking increased during this time period was due to the increase in freight being transported. The railroads were becoming more congested, leaving people to turn to trucks instead.The number of paved roads increased during the 1930s, resulting in an increase of trucks used for freight transportation. From 1910 to 1930, the number of trucks on the road increased by about 320,000! In 1933, the American Trucking Associations was founded to serve and represent the interests of the trucking industry as one unified voice.Along with the increase in trucking, came more government regulations for the industry. For example, the hours of service regulation was introduced in 1938 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Motor Carrier Act was introduced in 1935.The trucking industry grew even more when the Interstate Highway System was created in the 1950s and 1960s. The new system allowed big trucks to travel at higher speeds across the country.Today, the trucking industry collects, on average, $650 billion in revenue each year. Currently, there are about 5.6 million registered semi trucks in the U.S. Even though there is a trucker shortage right now, the industry is still growing and necessary to transport freight around the world.

Trucker Not Tonight Honey I’m Out of Hours Shirt

As news surrounding a potential upcoming trucker strike gains traction, many are wondering what impact, if any, the demonstrations will have on the trucking industry, and even the country at large. The initial strike – supported by groups such as StopTheTires2020, Trucker Strike 2020, and truck drivers across other various sectors of the internet – was planned for November 11th as a way to protest the potential fracking ban, the lack of consideration for truckers in coronavirus restrictions, and even the results of the 2020 election, which Trump has not conceded. While little seemed to happen on November 11th, the proposed trucker strike has the potential to get more serious by the end of the month, when four day protest activity is expected to begin.Although it is not clear how many truck drivers are seriously planning to participate, a trucker strike spanning from November 26th through the 29th could really shake things up and get public attention — especially since it is so close to the holidays. Despite garnering extra attention in the past year or so, the concept of trucker strikes isn’t new – the trucking industry actually has quite an extensive history of strikes.One of the most infamous occurred back in December of 1973, when oil prices were skyrocketing by as much as 300% thanks to an oil embargo instated by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). This embargo led to fuel rations in the United States and truck drivers were only allowed 50 gallons of fuel at a time. When truck driver J.W. Edwards, better known as “River Rat,” ran out of fuel near Blakeslee, Pennsylvania, he decided it was time to shut ‘er down. River Rat parked his truck across Interstate 80, blocking traffic, and took to his radio, voicing his frustrations. After broadcasting his blockade via CB radio, other truck drivers began to join in to aid in his protest against high oil prices, limited fuel supply, and even proposed speed limits.