At a time when attracting and retaining professional truck drivers has become more difficult than ever, fleets are thinking differently about this persistent industry challenge.

Trucking companies are addressing the parking shortage in multiple ways, including advance planning, using technology to access real-time information on parking availability, or even embracing paid reservations for parking spaces or hotel rooms to make it easier for drivers to shut down for the night.

As if 2020 wasn't difficult enough for trucking, the industry also saw a substantial rise in cargo theft. Here's what some fleets are doing to fight it.

Keeping roadways free of snow and ice is critical for safety, but the de-icing products states use — mainly chlorides — are notorious for causing truck corrosion, creating a significant risk to equipment.

States are working to decrease the amount of product needed to clear winter roads, implementing brine technology and adding corrosion inhibitors

The federal electronic logging device mandate has leveled the playing field among motor carriers and reduced driver hours-of-service violations, but it may still be too early to determine how ELDs have affected safety on the nation’s roadways, industry experts said.

Given the importance of pre- and post-trip inspections, many fleets have implemented technology to guarantee drivers are conducting them properly and to transmit the findings early.

COVID-19 has accelerated the transformation to e-commerce, and significant growth in e-commerce sales is creating capacity concerns. Retailers are expected to move up holiday promotions to help spread out the peak shipping season.

E-commerce is expected to continue to grow throughout the holiday season, placing added strain on the supply chain and increasing demand for final-mile deliveries.

Employees at Northwell Health’s 85,000-square-foot distribution center often joined together to watch the success stories as COVID-19 patients left Northwell’s hospitals, with many workers getting tearful as they realized the critical role they were playing in the health care supply chain.