DRIVING A VITAL INDUSTRY FORWARD: PNC leaders reflect on the trucking industry's contributions to the N.C. economy and the business opportunities and challenges unique to this regionally significant sector.

This is the twenty-fifth in a series of informative monthly articles for North Carolina businesses from PNC in collaboration with BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA magazine.

Few industries drive North Carolina's economy--both literally and figuratively--as profoundly as trucking. According to the North Carolina Trucking Association, the state is home to more than 44,000 trucking companies, with the sector accounting for nearly 240,000 --or 1 in 15--jobs. And few regions nationwide exemplify the vital infrastructure and nexus of trucking, logistics and manufacturing as deeply as the Triad, with its access to four interstate highways and a rich network of strategically located distribution centers and hub facilities.

Driving the trucking industry forward in the Triad, which boasts one of the largest concentrations of trucking firms on the East Coast, and beyond is an entire fleet of partners, including financial institutions that form part of the axle of this essential sector.

For Donna Perkins, who leads PNC Bank's Commercial Banking business for the Western Carolinas market and has served as a trusted advisor to several local trucking companies during the course of her nearly 30-year career, being an effective banker in this space is about much more than fulfilling the obvious function of equipment lending. It's about financing growth opportunities, helping owner-operators plan for the future of their companies, understanding the unique challenges facing the industry and offering solutions to help deliver on these challenges, including employee recruitment and retention--all against the backdrop of accelerated innovation and technology adoption within the industry.

"The trucking industry is evolving right in front of us," says Perkins, a longtime member of the North Carolina Trucking Association and the Women In Trucking Association. "From advanced technologies that are making trucking more efficient, safe and environmentally sustainable, to the futuristic prospect of driverless vehicles, there's no question this industry is on a course of significant change."

The implementation of new and emerging technology and operations capabilities comes at a cost, of course. To that end, Perkins and her team collaborate with PNC Equipment Finance colleagues to structure loans and leases that can help companies stay on the cutting edge of technology while controlling infrastructure costs, leveraging working capital, preserving cash flow and effectively managing...