Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Special Report: Trucking in the 21st Century

Trucking in the 21st Century is our 10-part series and accompanying web-only coverage of the rapid technological changes impacting trucking and logistics.

by HDT Staff
February 2, 2017
Special Report: Trucking in the 21st Century

 

2 min to read


In the science fiction of the last century, the 21st Century was seen as a wonderment of technology, with flying cars and tricorders, moon colonies and household robots.

Ad Loading...

Here we are, going on two decades into the century, and while we may not have flying cars, we do have an amazing array of technology at our fingertips, both in our personal lives and in trucking. That's changing how we live and how we do business.

This 10-part series explores those technologies and what it means for the success of our readers' businesses.

Ad Loading...

How is e-commerce driving some fleets to change their offerings? Will we truly see "Uber for trucking" apps, and how do you compete? Changes in the supply chain involve distribution centers located closer to customers, and 3D printing and smart warehouses affect freight demand and patterns. When will platooning become a reality, and what will autonomous technologies mean to the driver shortage? How do fleets manage the torrent of data available? All this and more will be covered in this ambitious series.

Bookmark this link, because each month we’ll add the next part in the series to this page, as well as exclusive web-only content. You’ll see articles exploring other facets of changing logistics and technology, videos, photo galleries and more.

In the Magazine

Part 1, January HDT:Trucking in the 21st Century

Part 2 February HDT: How E-Commerce is Changing Trucking

Part 3 March HDT:The Long and the Short of Truckload Today

Ad Loading...
Ad Loading...
Ad Loading...
Ad Loading...
Ad Loading...
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Fleet Management

HDT Talks Trucking YouTube thumbnail with host Deborah Lockridge and guest Bill Cain of TMW
Fleet Management•by Deborah Lockridge•November 5, 2026

Does Your Trucking Fleet Need a New TMS? [Video]

Cloud technology, AI and new integrations are changing what transportation management systems can do. But does taking advantage of those advances mean replacing your existing TMS?

Read More →
Saegic TrackRR Gateway solar-powered trailer telematics device shown alongside screenshots of the Saegic Cloud Platform displaying trailer location, tire monitoring, and equipment status.
Fleet Management•November 4, 2026

Road Ready Becomes Saegic, Launches New Trailer Telematics Gateway

Clarience Technologies is rolling out new hardware and expanding its plans for connecting trailer telematics, maintenance data, and video.

Read More →
HDT Cyber Stop graphic pairing a laptop displaying binary code with a person using a clipboard to inspect a truck chassis, against a background of padlock icons.
Fleet Management•November 2, 2026

Give Your Trucking Fleet a Cybersecurity Walkaround

Your fleet's cybersecurity policies may look good on paper. These seven checks can help you find out whether they’re working.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Western Star pulling double trailers in the Permian Basic for Atlas Energy Solutions
Fleet Management•by Deborah Lockridge•October 30, 2026

Kodiak Lines Up Fleets for Driverless Trucking

An agreement for 75 trucks, a new Texas freight lane, and progress on safety validation move Kodiak closer to its planned driverless highway launch.

Read More →
Illustration with Star of David and EEOC logo
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 28, 2026

ITS Logistics Settles Religious Harassment Case

The Nevada-based logistics firm agreed to pay more than $396,000 to settle a religious harassment charge involving an employee's Jewish identity.

Read More →
Truck on divided interstate highway driving toward sunrise
Fleet Management•October 27, 2026

Your Trucks Are Busy. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Winning.

High utilization doesn’t always mean strong margins. Looking beyond the current load can help fleets make better dispatch decisions and get more value from each truck’s time.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ATA economist Bob Costello speaking beside a graph showing truckload operating costs rising as freight revenue per mile declined after 2022.
Fleet Management•by Deborah Lockridge•October 22, 2026

Why This Trucking Recovery Is Different

Freight demand remains sluggish, but rising costs and tougher enforcement have taken enough capacity out of the market to change the outlook for motor carriers.

Read More →
PS Coach tablet interface showing a driver’s coaching inbox, safety event video and coaching advice for a harsh-braking event.
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools

Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.

Read More →
Screen capture showing PrePass Intelligence data on tolls
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

PrePass Intelligence Mines Fleet Bypass, Toll and Safety Data

PrePass Intelligence helps fleets measure bypass savings, flag potential toll overcharges, and spot suspicious transactions by combining data from separate systems.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Computer screen showing examples of what fleets could ask Motive AI Agents to do
Fleet Management•by Staff•October 20, 2026

Motive Adds AI Agents for Fleet Operations

New tools automate follow-up on fleet data, from maintenance work orders to driver alerts, with two-way voice conversations planned for later this year.

Read More →