III. Working on the text

Task 1. Read and translate the text using the active vocabulary and the vocabulary of the previous lessons. Find in the text passive structures.

US HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION

AT THE END OF THE 20^th CENTURY

By the end of the 20^th century, various transportation funding bills were introduced in Congress to replace the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA)[27], which was scheduled to expire on October 1. In the end, however, Congress simply extended the original ISTEA legislation for six months, postponing any long-term transportation funding operation to 1998.

J. B. Hunt Inc.[28], the second largest truckload carrier in the United States, tackled the truck-driver shortage and retention problem by offering new pay rates of 37 to 41 cents per mile, an increase of 8 to 12 cents per mile. For many drivers that amounted to a pay raise of approximately 30 percent. The largest truckload carrier, Schneider National, later offered a somewhat different salary-increase plan to its drivers. J. B. Hunt and Covenant Transport formed an alliance to jointly market transcontinental truckload services.

In the less-than-truckload (LTL) sector there were a few major downsizings or shutdowns. Merchants Fast Motor Lines[29], the second largest carrier in Texas, closed its doors in February, leaving 1,400 employees jobless. Caliber System's LTL subsidiary, Viking Freight, closed 30 terminals, laying off 1,500 workers. Hyman Freightways of Minnesota filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Trucking has become the predominant means of delivering all types of goods, accounting for four-fifths of all domestic freight value in the United States. Trucks in the mid-1990s hauled 1.4 trillion ton-kilometers of freight annually (a ton-kilometer is the movement of one metric ton over the distance of one kilometer). All types of manufacturing are also dependent on trucking for deliveries of parts and for shipping finished goods.

A trucking trade association estimates that about 9.5 million people in the United States are employed in trucking industry jobs, a figure that includes about 3 million professional truck drivers. In 1998 there were about 442,000 trucking companies in the United States. They generated over $350 billion in gross revenues.

At the end of the 20th century there were about 77.3 million trucks of all types on U.S. highways, out of a total of 207.8 million vehicles. The majority of trucks on the road were light trucks such as pickups and sport utility vehicles (SUVs); only about 1.5 million were tractor-trailers.

Trucks that operate between states must be licensed in each state through which they travel, and their owners must pay road fees in each state. Trucks may be licensed to over-the-road commercial carriers, private delivery companies that operate their own trucks, or private owner-operators. Trailers must be licensed separately from tractors and may be owned separately by a different company or fleet. There are about 4.5 million commercial semitrailers in the United States.

Drivers of over-the-road trucks must have a commercial driver’s license, which is obtained by special training and the passing of written and driving examinations. Drivers must also keep written logbooks of their hours and miles traveled, as these are regulated for safety purposes to minimize driver fatigue. Drivers who work for trucking companies are generally paid by the mile, while owner-operators and commercial carriers charge for freight by weight and distance. A typical commercial over-the-road truck is driven over 161,000 km (100,000 mi) a year.

Trucking operations are regulated by state and local agencies to ensure safety on the road. Trucks traveling on interstate highways and primary roads must be inspected at weigh stations to make sure they are not overloaded. Drivers are fined if the weight exceeds the limit allowed for each axle. Trucks are also subjected to safety inspections and may be put out of service if the brakes, tires, or other safety equipment do not meet standards.

Because big trucks are so large and heavy, they cannot stop or maneuver as quickly as cars and light trucks can. Of the almost 42,000 traffic fatalities that occurred in the United States in 1997, about 11 percent involved heavy trucks. In most car-truck accidents, the truck driver often is uninjured or suffers only minor injuries because of the size difference between the vehicles.

Task 2. Work in pairs. Ask and answer questions using the active vocabulary and the information in the text above.

1. What were the US Congress actions concerning transportation funding operations?

2. What problems did US motor carriers have to tackle at the end of the 20^th century?

3. What success did the US trucking industry achieve at the end of the 20^th century?

4. How many trucking companies were there in the USA at the end of the 20^th century? What revenues did they generate?

5. How many trucks were there in the USA at the end of the 20^th century?

6. What were license requirements for trucks in the USA at the end of the 20^th century?

7. How were truck drivers paid for their work?

8. What was the commercial carriers’ tariff policy?

9. How were trucking operations regulated?

Task 3. Fill in the gaps with appropriate prepositions and translate the sentences into your mother tongue. Consult the text above.

1. A commercial driver’s license is obtained ___ special training.

2. A ton-kilometer is the movement of one metric ton ____ the distance of one kilometer.

3. All types of manufacturing are also dependent ___ trucking for shipping finished goods.

4. Congress extended the original legislation ___ six months.

5. Drivers must keep written logbooks ____ their hours and miles traveled

6. Drivers who work for trucking companies are generally paid ___ the mile.

7. In the mid-1990s, about 9.5 million people in the United States were employed ___ trucking industry jobs.

8. In the mid-1990s, US trucking companies generated over $350 billion ____ gross revenues.

9. One of the largest US truckload carrier offered new pay rates of 37 to 41 cents ____ mile.

10. The company closed 15 terminals, laying off 800 workers and filed _____ bankruptcy.

11. Trailers are licensed separately ____ tractors.

12. Trucking accounts ____ four-fifths of all domestic freight value in the United States.

13. Trucking has become the predominant means ____ delivering all types of goods.

14. Commercial carriers usually charge for freight ____ weight and distance.

15. Trucks traveling on interstate highways and primary roads must be inspected ____ weigh stations.

16. Trucks are subjected ____ safety inspections.

17. Trucks may be put out ____ service if the safety equipment does not meet standards.

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