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F L DeMase Trucking opened its doors in Whitestone, New York on July 4th, 1973, with the purchase of a 1969 tandem axle Mack tractor. In 1974, we moved to New Jersey and boy have we come a long way since that shiny red Mack.

It’s amazing that the trucking industry, in a form relatively similar to the one we know today, dates back to the 1930s. But that’s just the industry itself. In reality, when it comes to the trucks, the first tractor trailer was invented by a man named Charles Freuhauf back in 1914. Incredible!

Over the years, many interesting and fun facts have been collected about trucking, as tens of millions of people have worked in the industry in the past 80-plus years.

For instance, did you know:

• In the U.S. alone, more than 50 billion gallons of gasoline are consumed by the trucking industry in one year. While that sounds like a lot, advances in technology have reduced this overall output over the years. Which leads us to the second point …
• It would take 60 of today’s clean-diesel trucks to equal the exhaust of just one truck from 1988.
• In 1938, the first “hours of service” rules were created, which limited drivers to 12 hours behind the wheel and 15 maximum hours on duty.
• The Department of Transportation was created in 1967.
• In the United States, there are more than 200,000 female long-haul drivers on the roads.
• The trucking industry in expected to grow by about 21% in the next ten years.
• The average age for truck drivers is 33.
• The U.S. has 3.5 million truck drivers on the roads in total.
• Trucks are involved in about 500,000 accidents annually, while traditional automobiles are involved in more than 5.25 million.
• The standard car engine has only 100-200 horsepower, while a standard truck engine generates 400-600.

We could go on and on. But in short, when you encounter a large truck on the highway, it’s easy to take it for granted. The reality is each truck represents a generations-old and proud industry in which people have invested millions of hours and effort.