BY GRANT CRAWFORD, HALEY MCLEOD & COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
Diving deeper
What's next
The Texas Department of Transportation and road technology company Cavnue will establish a “smart corridor,” featuring sensors and cameras, on SH 130 from Georgetown through Del Valle in 2025. Amy Madison, former director of the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation, said the corridor can help streamline the transportation of goods and services, and “potentially” save lives.
rates. Meanwhile, operating costs for trucking companies have increased. The average marginal cost to motor carriers per hour, according to a report by the American Trans- portation Research Institute, reached a record high in 2023 at $2.270 per mile. When looking at the average trucking cost to companies per hour, it rose from $66.94 in 2019 to $91.27 in 2023. Additionally, accounting firm PwC estimates— based on a survey of 128 large and mid-size U.S. manufacturers and transportation companies— that autonomous, long-haul trucking could save manufacturers nearly 30% in total transportation costs through 2040.
Abraham Vela, owner of LSA Logistics, a shipping company in Pflugerville, said an influx of under-qualified, or inexperienced, drivers joining the industry in 2020 created a “domino effect.” He said this caused companies to start lowering their rates, in some instances offering to haul loads for 50% less than what was being asked. “Now, if you want to take a load, you take it for way less than what it used to be,” he said. “Then if you don’t have anything [to bring] back, you’re kind of in the negative going back home or going to a different location. It’s just too cheap.” An increase in traffic accidents and damaged cargo, he said, have also led to higher insurance
29
Georgetown
Average marginal costs of trucking per hour
35
183
79
Round Rock
Driver wages Repair maintenance
Fuel costs Permits/license, tires, tolls
Truck/trailer payments Insurance premiums
Driver benefits
45 TOLL
Hutto
Smart corridor Technology along SH 130 will assist navigation of autonomous trucks.
$14.46 $7.37 $8.13 $3.56
$3.99
130 TOLL
Total: $91.06
2023
$31.32
$22.23
290
$3.55
$3.57
MOPAC
Total: $90.79
2022
$29.20
$25.84
$13.37 $7.37 $7.89
183
Austin
Manor
$3.46
$3.61
Del Valle
Total: $74.65
2021
$25.24
$16.78 $11.21 $7.31 $7.04
71
35
$3.55
$3.89
Buda
45 TOLL
Total: $66.87
2020
$22.97
$12.52
$11 $6.94 $6
N
SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/ CAVNUE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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