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Beverage truck news continues to show a mixed bag for 2014 as many truck manufacturers are still in a “holding pattern” due to economic uncertainty.

Apart from buying a pricey ad during the Super Bowl that would be seen by a few million viewers once each year, one of the next best methods of beverage marketing is in the form of delivery truck graphics, which can be seen by millions every day.

As the year begins to wind down, it’s time to look at the factors that are likely to have a significant effect on beverage fleet operations in 2014.

With fuel prices seemingly anchored around $4 a gallon, most beverage fleets remain quite proactive about reducing fuel consumption.

As noted in last month’s article on the shift from straight trucks to tractor-trailer combinations, the bottler/distributor consolidation and SKU proliferation of the last decade have had an unprecedented impact on the beverage industry, and more specifically, on beverage fleet operations.

With fuel prices hovering near the $4 a gallon range, drivers across the industry are looking for ways to cut costs and boost vehicle efficiency. Some fleet managers have turned to telematics to help monitor fleet performance and reduce overall vehicle costs.

The first decade of the 21st century saw profound change in the beverage industry, with an exponential explosion of product SKUs taking place at the same time as unprecedented levels of bottler and distributor consolidation.

Although it might not have been a requirement 10 years ago, good brands today will need to make a genuine commitment to sustainability moving forward, says Trent Overholt, vice president of supply chain solutions for Los Angeles-based Rehrig Pacific Co.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), or ergonomic injuries, are one of the most common injuries route delivery drivers encounter and accounted for 33 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work for all occupations in 2011.

Each year in March, the trucking industry comes together in Louisville, Ky., for its single largest event, the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS). As the industry’s key event, it’s fairly common for the chief executive officers of exhibiting companies to report on recent performance and prognosticate about the year to come.