According to the 2011 Census, the nation's largest cities grew faster than the country as a whole. Many of the cities experienced growth from 0.1% up to a 5.7% with only a small percentage of cities experiencing negative growth. Demographic and industry experts are emphasizing that there is a major population shift to live and work in more concentrated areas. This urbanization trend will change the way businesses receive both goods and services. It increases the need for the delivery of these goods and supplies to urban areas.
Couple this phenomenon with the national truck driver shortage, which is estimated to range from 20,000 to more than 100,000 truck drivers. In a competitive driver market, trucking companies who offer shorter routes so drivers can be home more often are more attractive as an employer.
The demographic shift to mega-regions and the need to attract a new driver talent pool are both contributing to a new trucking application. The result? The super-regional trend is now an emerging segment. This super-regional application is the result of the continued trend to shorter routes due to the population shift and the need for driver retention in the trucking industry.
Super-regional trucks operate approximately 100,000 miles per year, often within a 500-mile radius. The trend creates a hybrid application. Super-regional trucks operate in a spoke-and-hub type delivery system. The trucks travel highway line-haul routes as fleets run between several major cities. Once they reach one of the major cities, the fleet acts more like a regional delivery truck as it has many starts and stops within the city. The application is demanding for tires. Fleets in this segment are looking for the mileage and fuel efficiency of a line-haul product with the scrub resistance of a regional product.
This segment is represented by both day and sleeper cab types with 4x2, 6x4, or 6x2 configurations. They are transporting goods between distribution centers and/or other distribution centers or suppliers. Drivers are usually out and back in the same day or in the same week.
Many well-known fleets that are involved in the delivery of packaged goods for consumers represent these super-regional companies. In many instances, these fleets are seeking a green-solution tire that is SmartWay verified. Michelin recently introduced the MICHELIN® X® MULTI ENERGY D fuel drive tire for regional and the emerging super-regional applications to answer customer demands. It delivers fuel efficiency and mileage for runs between cities combined with excellent traction and scrub resistance once in the city. As the super-regional segment expands, the industry will deliver more products tailored to its hybrid application needs.