Pros and Cons of Short-haul Trucking
Short-haul trucking is defined as trucking for distances up to 150 miles. Due to the fact that the trucker does not have to travel far, he can take several orders per day. In addition, he doesn’t need as much equipment as fellow long-haul truckers.
However, there are not only advantages in this job, but also disadvantages. Everyone who plans to specialize in short-haul trucking should know about them.
Pros of short-haul trucking
So, the advantages of the freight transportation we are considering include:
- Working in a familiar area. You don’t have to look for gas stations, cafes, and other facilities in a state that’s unfamiliar to you. But most importantly, it’s much easier and faster to haul freight in familiar terrain.
- Work only during daylight hours. Unlike long-haul drivers, short-haul drivers almost always sleep at home. This is especially true for those who have a family with children.
- Work with minimal investment. Short-haul trucking uses relatively inexpensive equipment.
It should also be noted that short-haul trucking involves lower fuel costs and allows you to accumulate experience. That is, they are an excellent option for beginning a career in logistics.
Disadvantages of short-haul trucking
As for the disadvantages of short-haul trucking, there aren’t many. They include:
- Long working hours. Being able to take multiple orders a day can play a cruel trick. You’ll feel like there’s nothing stopping you from doing one more service, and so on several times. Sometimes you’ll end up coming home late at night.
- Constant loading and unloading. Many of those who become truckers tell us that they have always dreamed of driving a truck, which is why they took this job. Short-haul truckers spend a significant portion of their day loading and unloading goods.
- Problems on the roads. Delays at loading docks, heavy traffic in the city, and even blocking entire highways are common situations for short-haul trucking drivers.
Short-haul trucking plays a vital role in people’s livelihoods. For example, they are used to deliver food. Accordingly, if you are not intimidated by the disadvantages of short-haul trucking, you will always have a job and a high income.