The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted and changed almost every industry in the world. Even daily life has become different, practically overnight.

Of course, the trucking industry wasn’t spared, and many aspects are different from the pre-COVID-19 world. However, what will happen to the trucking industry in the post-COVID-19 world?

Continue reading below to see what the trucking industry will look like once the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

Remote Work Is Here to Stay

When the US started to lockdown in March, remote work became a reality for millions of Americans. Anybody who could work from home began to do so.

Many workers in the trucking industry don’t have driving-related jobs. Many jobs in this industry are office workers who do things like bookkeeping, invoicing, and accounting.

Once the pandemic subsides, remote work will likely become the new normal. There’s a good chance that not everyone will work from home, but a good portion will.

Having employees stay home is a positive for the industry because companies can reduce their office sizes. That leads to cost savings, and studies have shown that working from home boosts productivity.

Driver Turnover Will Remain Low Temporarily

The trucking industry is known for having a very high turnover rate for drivers, which means that there’s a revolving door of drivers coming and going, which is likely due to the job’s challenging nature.

However, during the pandemic, the turnover rate dropped to a new low and stayed there. The low turnover is likely due to people wanting to hang on to their jobs.

In the face of economic uncertainty, those who have jobs are going to stay put. After the pandemic, the turnover is expected to take off again.

If the economy starts doing well, turnover will likely go back to the way it was before.

Driving Will Become Safer

Remote work is helping to make the roadways safer by making a dent in traffic numbers. That’s because many people in all industries will likely work from home permanently.

Even if there are as little as 20% more people staying home, that means a lot less traffic. Less traffic means fewer cars on the road and less potential for accidents.

On top of that, trips will likely be faster, and trucks will need less maintenance because of reduced wear and tear.

More Last-Mile Delivery

Last-mile delivery refers to the delivery vans and trucks responsible for delivering parcels to people’s homes. Last-mile delivery has skyrocketed because E-commerce is booming and shows no signs of slowing down.

Once the pandemic ends, last-mile delivery will likely remain high. Buyer behavior has changed quickly and, most likely, permanently.

Of course, when the pandemic is over, many people will go back to shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. However, a large portion of those who have moved to online shopping will probably stay there.

A Changing Landscape

The trucking industry after the pandemic is going to be much different than it was before. However, it seems like there will be many changes for the better.

The future is uncertain, but it looks like the trucking industry will be safe and sound in the post-COVID-19 world.