Drivers and employment
- 3.58 million professional drivers: The American Trucking Associations estimated this many drivers worked in the trucking industry in 2024. It estimated 8.4 million people worked in trucking-related jobs overall. American Trucking Associations
- $58,640 median annual pay: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this figure for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in May 2025. It is employee wage data, so it should not be treated as owner-operator gross revenue or profit. bls.gov
- 4% projected employment growth: BLS projects heavy and tractor-trailer driver employment to grow by this amount from 2025 to 2035. bls.gov
Truck operating costs and insurance
- $2.336 per mile: The American Transportation Research Institute’s average cost to operate a truck in 2025. Excluding fuel, the average was $1.854 per mile, up 4.2% from the previous year. truckingresearch.org
- Insurance premiums increased about 38% per mile over nine years: An FMCSA report using ATRI data says the average rose from 7.4 cents per mile in 2015 to 10.2 cents per mile in 2024. The percentage increase is calculated from those figures. fmcsa.dot.gov
For your operation: The $2.336 figure is a broad industry benchmark, not a quote for a particular truck. A hotshot pickup and gooseneck may have a different cost structure from a tractor-trailer. Calculating each unit’s own costs across all miles, including empty miles, will give you a more useful break-even number.
Brokers, fraud, and cargo security
- 847,401 suspected fraudulent attempts blocked: Highway reported that its systems blocked this many attempts for its broker customers in the first half of 2025. That was 92% of the number it reported blocking during all of 2024. This is Highway’s platform data, not a count of confirmed thefts across the entire industry. highway.com
- 3,798 reported logistics theft incidents: CargoNet recorded this number across the U.S. and Canada in 2024, according to reporting on its data—a 26% increase from the previous year. Reported incidents do not necessarily capture every theft. wsj.com
These numbers help explain why brokers increasingly scrutinize carrier identity, contact information, insurance filings, and changes in management. For a carrier, keeping FMCSA records, insurance documents, and company contact information consistent can help reduce delays during broker setup.
Cross-border shipping
- 72.5% of U.S.–Mexico freight value moved by truck in 2024.
- 55.5% of U.S.–Canada freight value moved by truck that same year.
These figures cover the value of freight flows across the borders, not the weight of the goods. content.govdelivery.com
Safety
5,340 people died in crashes involving large trucks in 2024. That includes truck occupants, people in other vehicles, and other road users; it does not mean the truck driver caused every crash. iihs.org
1. Most trucking companies are small
According to the American Trucking Associations:
- 91.5% of carriers operate 10 or fewer trucks.
- 99.3% operate fewer than 100 trucks. trucking.org
That means the industry depends heavily on small businesses and owner-operators, even though large fleets are often the most visible.
Most trucking companies are small
According to the American Trucking Associations:
- 91.5% of carriers operate 10 or fewer trucks.
- 99.3% operate fewer than 100 trucks. trucking.org
That means the industry depends heavily on small businesses and owner-operators, even though large fleets are often the most visible.
Detention costs the industry billions
An American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) study estimated that driver detention in 2023 cost the trucking industry:
- $3.6 billion in direct expenses, such as operating costs incurred while waiting.
- $11.5 billion in lost productivity. truckingresearch.org
For your company, it would be useful to track arrival and departure times at each shipper and receiver. Over time, you could identify which customers consistently delay your drivers and use that information when negotiating rates or detention terms.
Truck parking takes away driving time
In an older ATRI driver-diary study, drivers sacrificed an average of 56 minutes of available driving time per day by parking early to secure a spot. The study estimated that this could equal approximately 9,300 revenue-earning miles per year.
These are findings from a 2016 study, so they should not be presented as a current nationwide measurement. Arkansas Trucking Association
This could be an interesting recruiting or driver-support post: parking is not just an inconvenience—it affects a driver’s available time and potential earnings.
Traffic congestion is a major trucking expense
ATRI estimated that congestion cost the U.S. trucking industry $108.8 billion annually in its 2024 congestion research update. That cost includes the effects of delay on trucking operations. Vol. 21 Issue 1
This is one reason a shorter route is not always the most profitable route. Traffic, tolls, fuel, delivery appointments, and available parking all matter.
Maintenance and other costs are rising
ATRI’s 2026 report, based on 2025 operating data, found that several expenses rose from the previous year:
| Expense | Increase |
|---|---|
| Tolls | 13.2% |
| Repair and maintenance | 8.6% |
| Driver benefits | 6.6% |
| Tires | 6.4% |
These are changes in industry averages, so an individual fleet’s experience may be different. prnewswire.com
For a fleet with both pickups and semi trucks, tracking maintenance by equipment type and per mile would make these comparisons more meaningful.
Cargo theft losses are becoming more expensive
CargoNet estimated nearly $725 million in cargo theft losses across the U.S. and Canada in 2025—a 60% increase from 2024. It reported that the overall number of supply-chain crime incidents remained relatively stable, while criminals increasingly targeted higher-value shipments. CargoNet
CargoNet later estimated $304.6 million in losses during the second quarter of 2026, even though reported incidents declined compared with the same quarter of 2025. CargoNet
This is a useful reminder for carriers to confirm shipment changes through a verified phone number, especially if someone requests a new delivery location or different pickup instructions.
What trucking professionals worry about
ATRI’s 2025 industry survey identified these among the top concerns:
- The economy
- Truck parking
- Lawsuit-related concerns
- Insurance availability and cost
- Driver compensation TRID
The ranking reflects the opinions of survey respondents; it does not mean every carrier or driver experiences the same problems.
An example: the real effect of empty miles
This is a calculation example, rather than an industry statistic:
Suppose a truck earns $4,000 on a load and travels:
- 1,500 loaded miles
- 300 empty miles
The rate looks like $2.67 per loaded mile. But after including all 1,800 miles driven, the revenue is $2.22 per total mile, before expenses.
That is why comparing loads only by their loaded-mile rate can be misleading—particularly for hotshot and open-deck drivers who may travel a long distance to pick up freight.