Trucking by the Numbers 2018: Trucking and freight snapshot

In today's data-driven business environ­ment, the trucking industry has come to both rely on—and be challenged by—a growing volume of information. For motor carriers, while data overload is a pos­sibility, using it selectively can lead to more effective short- and long-term choices.

As an example, the industry is now experiencing what is perhaps the tightest capacity crunch in history, fed by a stron­ger economy and the electronic logging devices (ELD) mandate. By using data on tonnage and other freight trends across various industry segments, motor car­riers and shippers can more effectively plan for the scarcity of trucks and adjust their operations to remain competitive.

Click to launch slideshow: Freight snapshot by mode, tonnage, and more along with 10-year forecast

If the success and profitability of all trucking operations is based in cost management, then data in reports like the American Transportation Research Institute's (ATRI) "Analysis of the Oper­ational Costs of Trucking: 2017 Update" is a path to effective benchmarking practices for operations, planning and investment. With that data, trucking companies can dig deeper into per-mile and other costs, and apply sound infor­mation to decisions that impact high cost areas in their operations; for exam­ple, those for fuel and driver wages in light of the persistent driver shortage and rising fuel prices.

Data is also useful in the context of industry challenges. In its "Cost of Con­gestion to the Trucking Industry: 2017 Update," ATRI provides data on road congestion that enables trucking com­panies to analyze and offset resulting increases in operating costs, including fuel, labor, and vehicle expenses. With this information, motor carriers also have a better ability to address the stresses that congestion puts on drivers through more effective planning and operational practices.

A closer look at data can also help address challenges brought on by legis­lative and regulatory activity. Informa­tion on driver demographics and wages can assist fleets in more effectively analyzing how these changes alter their operations, and tackle issues related to the ongoing shortage of drivers.

Overall, handling over 70% of all freight in the U.S., the trucking industry continues to dominate freight transpor­tation over all other modes. Total truck tonnage in 2017, including for-hire and private carrier operations, was more than 22% higher than its lowest point in 2009. Looking ahead, the ATA "U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast" proj­ects that total freight tonnage will grow more than 40% in the next 10 years. 

The latest "IHS Global Business Out­look" survey also measures expecta­tions, and recently it recorded the stron­gest degree of business optimism since mid-2014. Going forward, that can only mean even higher freight volumes, and with data like that included in this report to measure and analyze, the trucking industry will be well positioned to gain a competitive advantage by managing operations and growth effectively.