The American Trucking Associations released the latest edition of ATA American Trucking Trends 2017, the annual compendium of data about the trucking industry. Among the findings in this year’s Trends is that trucking industry revenues in 2016 were $676.2 billion.
“The information in Trends highlights exactly what I tell elected officials, regulators and key decision-makers every day: trucking is literally the driving force behind our great economy,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “Safe, reliable and efficient motor carriers enable businesses throughout the supply chain to maintain lean inventories, thereby saving the economy billions of dollars each year.”
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello added: “Trends is the only place where you can find a comprehensive look at the trucking industry in one place. From economic performance to safety to tax data, Trends is the one publication that contains it all.”
Among the findings in this year’s edition:
• Trucking generated $676.2 billion, or 79.8% of the nation’s freight bill.
• Trucks moved 10.42 billion tons of freight--70.6% of all domestic freight tonnage.
• The nation’s commercial trucks paid $41.3 billion in state and federal highway user fees and taxes. The average five-axle tractor trailer pays more than $5,600 in taxes annually.
• There were 33.8 million trucks registered for business purposes, including 3.68 million Class 8 trucks. Those trucks burned 38.8 billion gallons of diesel fuel and 15.5 billion gallons of gasoline and traveled 450.4 billion miles.
• 7.4 million Americans are employed in trucking-related jobs, including 3.5 million as truck drivers. Six percent of those drivers are women and 38.7% are minorities.
• Trucking is an industry made up of small businesses: 91% of motor carriers operate six or fewer trucks, and 97.3% operate less than 20.
ATA American Trucking Trends 2017 is available for purchase at www.atabusinesssolutions.com.