And you thought a "long haul" meant 1,000 miles and up

It seems the romanticized image of truck drivers as iconoclastic loners who are happiest out on the open road for weeks at a time is fast becoming outdated.,?p>

During a recent chat withDC Velocity, Bradley S. Jacobs, chairman, president, and CEO of the fast-growing broker, expeditor, and forwarder XPO Logistics Inc., mentioned that long-haul truckload rates were rising faster than rates on shorter hauls. The reason, Jacobs said, is a shortage of drivers who are willing to drive long distances and be away from home for extended stretches. This, in turn, has reduced truck supply and driven up rates, he said.

We queried Jacobs on the long-haul distance he was referring to: 1,500 miles? 1,000 miles? "No, I'm talking 600 miles," he said.

It's a striking reflection of how much has changed in the world we work in. For those who've spent a few years in the field, it requires some mental adjustment to think of a 600-mile road trip as a long haul. But that is where we are, or at least where we're headed.