ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to describe the technological revolution in the trucking industry, addressing important technologies that trucking firms now use or will be available in the near future. It discusses six technologies identified by the American Trucking Associations as the most promising technologies for the industry and analyzes the adoption of the technologies. The six technologies are Mobile Communication Systems (MCS), Decision Support Systems (DSS), Automatic Vehicle/Equipment Identification Systems (AVEIS), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Bar Coding (BAR), and Imaging Systems (IMG). The chapter discusses how the Internet has affected the industry and presents the current state of technology applications as they relate to security and safety and also discusses advances in truck technology. Several technologies have increased on-board security. Some trucks are now equipped with password access that make hijacking or theft much more difficult. Technologies that enhance truck performance and reduce pollution are on the horizon.
