Railroads hauled more tons per operating worker then trucks

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

trucks-3402000000tons divided by 2.8 million truck drivers in common carrier service= 1215 tons per driver (Source USHA and ATA) anually
66,000 conducters and engineers divided into 29,000,000,000 =439,000 tons per operating worker not including trackmen and front office

2

…not at all surprising, of course.

3

Yes but trucking still hauls the most freight .

4

if I need a truck load - I’ll use a truck. If I need a train load - I’ll use a train. Labor efficiency has virtually nothing to do with the decision.

dd

5

I’ll ad a number-16%. Thats the railroads share of the money spent in the US on intercity freight transportation.

6

Labour efficiency certainly does come into the decision equation as to use a truck or a train because labour efficiency has an impact on the cost structure of the service. What also comes into the decision is door to door average speed, reliability, marketing and routing. For freight the train is meant for medium to long distance while for passenger service the train is meant for short to medium service. It seems governments do not understand these complementary facts when it comes to funding infrastructure.

7

I think trains are still better at hauling freight because trains can move faster. Because
they have to stop less. Unlike truck drivers are only allowed by state law to drive 10 hrs a day as where trains can move all night long.

8

[?]

x3,402,000,000
29,000,000,000

9

bump

10

I think you have this backwards. These days a truck keeps moving most of the time usually only stopping for fuel every several hundred miles and for the drivers to change seats. Unless your talking about an ultra hot intermodal train for the most part the truck is going to make better time. And even that intermodal has to stop and change crews and perhaps stop to add/remove helpers en route. Not to mention having to stop from time to time for congestion. Alot of routes these days are at or near capacity.

I’m not a truck driver but my father was for years hauling air mail between San Jose,Ca. and Fort Wayne,In. and I would ride along with him from time to time (yes the air mail went by truck). I don’t ever remember a train overtaking us. At best in the desert one might match our speed for a little bit .