The Long Haul

A look at Eastern Iowa’s trucking industry.

R&W Transport moves nearly 800,000 pounds of milk per day. Here’s how.

This spring, commercial truck drivers who learned English as a second language — and the companies that employ them — faced punitive federal regulations regarding English language proficiency. An executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April says that truck drivers who can’t speak or read English proficiently could be suspended from their jobs as drivers. However, requiring truck drivers to be proficient in English is not new.

They say walking a mile in someone’s shoes is the way to better understanding. So perhaps driving a mile in someone’s truck could do the same. Earlier this summer, one Corridor event took this idea and put it to the (road) test.

Truck freight tonnage has been sluggish throughout the year, continuing a trend that was marked prior to the 2024 election, according to the American Trucking Associations’ July tonnage report. However, a dip in freight occurred in the beginning of the year, coinciding with Trump’s inauguration.

Under current federal law, truck drivers may drive for no more than 11 hours before taking at least 10 hours’ rest. But what if the truck itself did a good share of the driving?

Take a peek inside the semi trailers of local trucking companies.

A look at Eastern Iowa’s trucking industry.

CRST, one of the nation’s largest privately held transportation and logistics companies, was recently named the 2024 Carrier of the Year by C.H. Robinson, a leading global logistics provider.

Mike and Karen Overturf drive as a team, taking turns at the wheel as they drive loads of freight across the country for Don Hummer Trucking.