The trucking industry collected 80.4% of the nation’s freight bill, according to ATA. File Photo: Jim Park
The trucking industry moved 10.23 billion tons of freight in 2020, generating $732.3 billion in revenue, according to the latest edition of American Trucking Associations’ American Trucking Trends 2021.
“We knew that the pandemic had a significant impact on our industry, but this year’s trends shows that despite those challenges, the trucking industry remained our nation’s lifeline – delivering the life-saving and life-sustaining essentials our country needed in a time of great need,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello in a press release.
Among the findings in trends:
- In 2020, trucks moved 10.23 billion tons of freight – down from 11.84 billion tons the previous year.
- The industry collected 80.4% of the nation’s freight bill, unchanged from the previous year, while generating $732.3 billion.
- Trucking employed 7.65 million people in industry-related jobs, including 3.36 million professional truck drivers.
- Women made up 7.8% of the nation’s drivers – an all-time high – and minorities account for 42.3% of truck drivers.
- Trucking remains a small business industry: 91.5% of fleets operate six or fewer trucks, and 97.4% operate less than 20.
- Trucks moved 70.9% of the value of surface trade between the U.S. and Canada and 83.8% of cross-border trade with Mexico, for a total of $695 billion worth of goods.