In the 1930s, long haul trucking was highly regulated. The government did have to sign off on prices set by cartels of trucking companies. In the late 70s and early 80s, there was a shift in thinking for people on both sides of the political divide. Government starts deregulating all kinds of industries,. telephone companies, airlines, and trucking. All but five of the largest 50 were gone within 10 years after deregulation.