The Minneapolis I-35W bridge collapse reflects a growing sense of crisis in highway maintenance funding.

In November 1977, the National Association of Truckstop Operators launched a publication, distributed free to drivers at member locations. NATSO Truckers News, as editor Mark Perry wrote in that first issue, was founded on the premise that “truckers and truckstop operators have a lot more in common with each other than any other people in any other two industries. All they need to do is talk to each other and work together” for change.

Perry was insistent on providing a platform for open communication to and from truckers in Truckers News, a platform that survives to this day.

To celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’ve assembled a long haul through 30 years of trucking history. In some instances, guest columns from industry representatives – from veteran driver R.L. Grant to former Interstate Commerce Commission chairman Dan O’Neal – accompany stories, and we’ve included stories and illustrations from past issues of Truckers News. Enjoy the ride.

Paint by Numbers
Trucking stats show change on numerous fronts
It’s not only Bob Dylan who tells us that the times are a-changing. Numbers tell us, too.

For the 30 years since Truckers News began publication, many of the major changes in our industry are starkly outlined in statistics, from the cost of a gallon of diesel to the money drivers can expect to take home.