The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has published its annual American Trucking Trends report, which reflected a struggling industry.
“With changing supply chains and shifting freight markets, Trends is a vital compendium of how the trucking industry is performing,” said ATA chief economist Bob Costello. “This year’s edition highlights the challenging environment that motor carriers dealt with in 2024, but in the end the industry still delivered more than 72% of all domestic freight tonnage in the U.S.”
Highlights included:
- Trucks moved 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024, down from the 11.41 billion tons hauled the previous year.
- In 2024, the industry saw revenues at $906 billion (all figures USD), down from $1.004 trillion in 2023.
- Trucking employed 8.4 million people in industry-related jobs, including 3.58 million professional drivers in 2024.
- The industry remains one made up of small businesses, with 91.5% of carriers operating 10 or fewer trucks and 99.3% operating fewer than 100 power units.
- Trucks moved 67% of surface trade between the U.S. and Canada, and 85% of goods across the Mexican border in 2024.
“Over the past year, our industry has experienced radical policy shifts affecting regulations, international trade, technology, and more,” said ATA president and CEO Chris Spear. “To help chart the path ahead, it is vital for our industry to be armed with facts and data. Trends gives government officials and business leaders the reliable information they need to make sound decisions that will move our economy forward.”
The report can be purchased here.
