According to the latest edition of American Trucking Associations’ American Trucking Trends 2023 report, trucks moved more than 11.4 billion tons of freight in 2022, generating more than $940 billion, which were both increases from 2021.
“While 2022 was a challenging year for trucking in many respects, the industry still posted growth in revenue, tonnage, employment and several other measures,” Bob Costello, chief economist at American Trucking Associations, said. “In addition, by share of freight revenue and tonnage, trucking remained by far the dominant mode of transportation in the country.”
According to the report, in 2022:
• Trucks moved 11.46 billion tons of freight, up from 10.93 billion tons the previous year.
• The trucking industry collected 80.7% of the nation’s freight bill, generating $940.8 billion.
• The trucking industry employed 8.4 million people in industry-related jobs, up 405,000 from the previous year, including 3.54 million professional truck drivers.
• Women made up 8.1% of the drivers in the United States, marking an all-time high and the seventh straight annual increase.
• The report detailed the racial/ethnic background of drivers, with 18.3% of drivers identifying themselves as Black, 4% as Asian and 23.3% as Hispanic or Latine.
• Trucking remains a small business industry, with 95.8% of fleets operating 10 or fewer trucks and 99.7% operating 100 or fewer.
• Trucks moved 61.9% of the value of surface trade between the United States and Canada and 83.5% of cross-border trade with Mexico for a total of $947.92 billion worth of goods.
This year’s expanded edition of the American Trucking Trends report includes several new datasets and topics, including annual data about the United States’ household goods movers, new chapters on the broader macroeconomy with a focus on drivers of freight volumes and an overview of ATA’s driver compensation data.
“As government and business leaders make choices that determine the trajectory of our economy, the data found in these pages can help drive those decisions. That’s why Trends has a place on the most influential desks, providing actional insights to elected officials, regulators, industry insiders and economic analysts,” Chris Spear, president and CEO of American Trucking Associations, said. “This is your guide to an industry that embodies the true meaning of essential.”
