4 ms·

I can corroborate, but the central issue once again is pay/working conditions. The pricing assumes that long-haul truckers don't get paid much and it assumes t

I can corroborate, but the central issue once again is pay/working conditions. The pricing assumes that long-haul truckers don't get paid much and it assumes that they will drive up against the legal limits and it assumes that they will more or less live in their truck and never see their home. Fixing the pricing to make the working conditions reasonable will simply make long-haul truck uncompetitive with freight railroads. And that is really the solution. If you want to send cargo across the country, put it on a train.

cyborgx7 8y ago
I'm ever more opening my eyes to how much crucial tasks for the functioning of the society are being done by low-paid workers under terrible conditions. We do have alternatives, but the profit motive comes before the quality of life of these people.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
snarfy 8y ago
Not all shipping is equal. When I worked for a produce company we shipped via trucks and trains. By far there were many more incidence of produce going bad and having to be thrown out when shipped via train than by truck. Put it on a train, unless it will spoil?
- bigpicture 8y ago
  > Put it on a train, unless it will spoil? Oh yes, there will always be exceptions. But it will have to cost more. There is no escaping that.
- repolfx 8y ago
  Why was the train less reliable than the trucks? I'd have thought it would be the other way around. Trucks get caught in traffic, there are more vehicles to break down etc.
- bena 8y ago
  From what I understand from last time this came up, trains are still used a lot in the transportation chain. Trucks are used mostly for "last mile" deliveries and long-haul trucking for deliveries that for some reason can't be done by train (like apparently your produce example).
MikeKusold 8y ago
I used to work at a trucking software company, so I may have some insight. Shipping cargo via trains is dramatically slower than via trucks. When you use a truck, your cargo goes from A->B. When you use a train, you first need to get a truck to haul your content to the railyard. Then depending on the cargo, unload and reload onto the train. Then wait while the train makes stops for everyone else's cargo. Potentially your cargo will need to be unhooked from the train and wait until a different train headed to a different location arrives to take your cargo. Then once your train gets to the area of delivery, you still need a truck to show up and take your cargo to the final destination. Even more so, for lots of loads trains cost similar to trucks. Trains have their purpose, but there is a reason why Coca-Cola, Walmart, UPS, etc... use trucks.

cyborgx7 8y ago

I'm ever more opening my eyes to how much crucial tasks for the functioning of the society are being done by low-paid workers under terrible conditions. We do have alternatives, but the profit motive comes before the quality of life of these people.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

snarfy 8y ago

Not all shipping is equal. When I worked for a produce company we shipped via trucks and trains. By far there were many more incidence of produce going bad and having to be thrown out when shipped via train than by truck. Put it on a train, unless it will spoil?

bigpicture 8y ago
> Put it on a train, unless it will spoil? Oh yes, there will always be exceptions. But it will have to cost more. There is no escaping that.
repolfx 8y ago
Why was the train less reliable than the trucks? I'd have thought it would be the other way around. Trucks get caught in traffic, there are more vehicles to break down etc.
bena 8y ago
From what I understand from last time this came up, trains are still used a lot in the transportation chain. Trucks are used mostly for "last mile" deliveries and long-haul trucking for deliveries that for some reason can't be done by train (like apparently your produce example).

MikeKusold 8y ago

I used to work at a trucking software company, so I may have some insight. Shipping cargo via trains is dramatically slower than via trucks. When you use a truck, your cargo goes from A->B. When you use a train, you first need to get a truck to haul your content to the railyard. Then depending on the cargo, unload and reload onto the train. Then wait while the train makes stops for everyone else's cargo. Potentially your cargo will need to be unhooked from the train and wait until a different train headed to a different location arrives to take your cargo. Then once your train gets to the area of delivery, you still need a truck to show up and take your cargo to the final destination. Even more so, for lots of loads trains cost similar to trucks. Trains have their purpose, but there is a reason why Coca-Cola, Walmart, UPS, etc... use trucks.