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TRANSPORTATION - BTS - Bureau of Transportation Statistics

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Table 2-6Active Interstate Carriers by Fleet Size: 2000HazardousmaterialNumber <strong>of</strong> CarriersPassengercarriers5,9274,5351,47083214712,360All othersTotal219,279160,80542,55615,8253,2082684,357Fleet size(number <strong>of</strong>power units)One2 to 67 to 2021 to 100101 to 5,000Over 5,000Unspecified9,08317,2499,0285,1941,644171,410204,269139,02132,0589,7991,417880,587Total43,62515,272467,159526,056Note: Data include intrastate hazardous materials carriers.Source: U.S. Department <strong>of</strong> <strong>Transportation</strong>, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration,Motor Carrier Management Information System Report LS50B901(Washington, DC: March 2000).many carriers <strong>of</strong>fered both truckload (TL) and less than truckload (LTL) services. But, underderegulation, carriers began to specialize in either LTL or TL with the vast majority <strong>of</strong> carriersentering the TL segment. Very few carriers entered the LTL sector, and the largest LTL carriershave increased their control <strong>of</strong> that segment even more significantly. Deregulation alsoincreased the use <strong>of</strong> owner operators, drivers who own their vehicle and typically rentthemselves out to larger carriers.Increased competition has improved industry efficiency as carriers face constant pressure toreduce operating costs or risk losing market share to competitors. Since labor represents arelatively significant portion <strong>of</strong> total operating costs in the industry, drivers’ wages have notbeen immune to this pressure. Since 1975, drivers’ real earnings, adjusted for inflation, havedeclined. Coinciding with, and partially responsible for, this wage stagnation has been adecrease in the number <strong>of</strong> for-hire drivers represented by labor unions, with representationfalling from a high <strong>of</strong> 60 percent in 1973 to below 25 percent by 1995.Less than half <strong>of</strong> total trucking activity on the nation’s highway network, measured by bothton-miles and value <strong>of</strong> shipments, occurs within state boundaries [USDOT <strong>BTS</strong> 1997b]. In1994, 41 states still maintained some form <strong>of</strong> economic regulation over intrastate trucking.With interstate trucking deregulated, intrastate rates were 40 percent higher than rates forinterstate moves <strong>of</strong> the same distance. The federal government removed intrastate regulationsin 1994.Bus companies, too, were given freedom to set rates and determine routes as a result <strong>of</strong>deregulation in 1982. Economic deregulation spurred strategic reorganization <strong>of</strong> the busindustry, created conditions for improved services, and, in certain cases, resulted indiminished services. Greyhound and Trailways joined forces in 1987 to provide a largernetwork <strong>of</strong> intercity bus service. In addition, new, smaller regional carriers have startedproviding service to specialized niche markets. These carriers not only serve geographicmarkets, but also sectors <strong>of</strong> the population, such as senior citizens, metropolitan commuters,vacation travelers, or luxury travelers. About 4,000 private motorcoach companies operate inthe United States, <strong>of</strong>fering charters, tours, regular route service, and other bus services[ABA n.d.].Following deregulation and with increasing competition from airlines and automobiles, buscompanies eliminated many unpr<strong>of</strong>itable routes and stops, particularly in rural areas. In1982, more than 11,000 locations were served nationwide, down from more than 16,000 in theearly 1970s. Today, the number <strong>of</strong> locations served has fallen to just about 5,000, with much <strong>of</strong>2-41

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