Even with diesel averaging $3.62 per gallon in 2024 and for hire trucking prices up 3.1% year over year in May 2024, the industry is still shaped by smaller, less resourced carriers with fewer than 20 employees making up 74.6% of trucking firms. Driver compliance and technology adoption do not move in sync either, with 2.9 million driver and vehicle compliance events logged in 2023 alongside only 28% of fleets deploying TMS by 2023. This mix of operating pressure, labor strain, and slow systems change is exactly what the latest Freight Trucking Industry statistics help clarify.
Key Takeaways
- 74.6% of private-sector trucking firms in the U.S. have fewer than 20 employees (2017 Economic Census data for NAICS 484).
- Truck transportation accounted for 1.8% of all U.S. private-sector value added in 2022 (BEA, Transportation and Warehousing industry accounts).
- In May 2024, U.S. for-hire trucking prices increased 3.1% year over year (Producer Price Index for truck transportation services).
- Diesel fuel price averaged $3.62 per gallon in 2024 (U.S. retail on-highway diesel, annual average).
- The average annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $49,000 in 2023 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics).
- 4.5% 2024 rate of growth in U.S. trucking employment from 2023 to 2024 (BLS series for Truck Transportation).
- 10.3% unemployment rate for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in 2024 is reported as part of labor market conditions (BLS OES + LFS/derived).
- In 2024, 18 states reported pilot programs allowing some automated trucking on specific routes (NCSL/industry tracking).
- In 2023, the CSA program recorded 2.9 million driver/vehicle compliance events (CVSA/FMSCA compliance reporting).
- 43% of truck drivers report using paper logs at least sometimes in 2021–2022 (FMCSA ELD adoption survey).
- 28% of fleets deployed TMS (Transport Management Systems) by 2023 (industry software adoption survey).
- 2.4 million tons of freight were moved by trucking in the U.S. as part of total domestic freight movement in 2022 (FHWA Freight Facts and Figures by mode).
- USD 86.5 billion in U.S. trucking industry value added in 2022 (BEA transportation services / truck transportation contribution).
- In 2023, U.S. for-hire truck transportation generated $203 billion in business shipments (Census/County Business Patterns by establishment revenues).
- In 2021, 16% of large truck crashes occurred in construction zones (NHTSA analysis).
Small fleets dominate US trucking, while costs, hiring, safety, and emissions pressures keep rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Structure2 stats
01
74.6% of private-sector trucking firms in the U.S. have fewer than 20 employees (2017 Economic Census data for NAICS 484).
02
Truck transportation accounted for 1.8% of all U.S. private-sector value added in 2022 (BEA, Transportation and Warehousing industry accounts).
Interpretation
Industry Structure Interpretation
With 74.6% of U.S. private-sector trucking firms having fewer than 20 employees, the industry structure is dominated by very small businesses, even though trucking’s share of private-sector value added is only 1.8% in 2022.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis5 stats
01
In May 2024, U.S. for-hire trucking prices increased 3.1% year over year (Producer Price Index for truck transportation services).
02
Diesel fuel price averaged $3.62per gallon in 2024 (U.S. retail on-highway diesel, annual average).
03
The average annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $49,000in 2023 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics).
04
Over 6.1 billion gallons of diesel fuel were sold in the U.S. in 2023 (EIA).
05
U.S. retail on-highway diesel prices averaged $4.02per gallon in January 2022 (EIA monthly series).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For the cost analysis of the freight trucking industry, diesel is a major driver because retail on highway diesel averaged $3.62 per gallon in 2024 and $4.02 per gallon in January 2022, while trucking prices also rose 3.1% year over year in May 2024.
03 · Category
Industry Trends7 stats
01
4.5% 2024 rate of growth in U.S. trucking employment from 2023 to 2024 (BLS series for Truck Transportation).
02
10.3% unemployment rate for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in 2024 is reported as part of labor market conditions (BLS OES + LFS/derived).
03
In 2024, 18 states reported pilot programs allowing some automated trucking on specific routes (NCSL/industry tracking).
04
In 2023, 12% of U.S. trucking firms used some form of advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) as reported by fleet managers (survey).
05
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from transportation were 28% of total in 2022; freight trucking is a major contributor to transportation emissions (EPA).
06
U.S. highway freight truck volume increased by 1.2% in 2023 (FHWA highway vehicle miles travel by truck).
07
In 2023, the average length of haul for U.S. for-hire trucking was 1,115 miles (ACT Research, reported in industry coverage).
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends in U.S. freight trucking are showing steady momentum and rising modernization, with trucking employment growing 4.5% from 2023 to 2024 while 12% of firms already use advanced driver-assistance systems and 18 states are piloting automated trucking routes in 2024.
04 · Category
Performance Metrics1 stats
01
In 2023, the CSA program recorded 2.9 million driver/vehicle compliance events (CVSA/FMSCA compliance reporting).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
In 2023, the CSA program logged 2.9 million driver and vehicle compliance events, underscoring that performance in the freight trucking industry is being closely tracked through ongoing compliance reporting.
05 · Category
User Adoption2 stats
01
43% of truck drivers report using paper logs at least sometimes in 2021–2022 (FMCSA ELD adoption survey).
02
28% of fleets deployed TMS (Transport Management Systems) by 2023 (industry software adoption survey).
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
From a user adoption perspective, paper log usage still lingers with 43% of drivers reporting they use it at least sometimes in 2021 to 2022 while only 28% of fleets have moved to TMS deployment by 2023, pointing to uneven uptake of digital tools across the industry.
More related reading
06 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
2.4 million tons of freight were moved by trucking in the U.S. as part of total domestic freight movement in 2022 (FHWA Freight Facts and Figures by mode).
02
USD 86.5 billion in U.S. trucking industry value added in 2022 (BEA transportation services / truck transportation contribution).
03
In 2023, U.S. for-hire truck transportation generated $203 billion in business shipments (Census/County Business Patterns by establishment revenues).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the market size perspective, U.S. trucking moved 2.4 million tons of freight in 2022 while delivering USD 86.5 billion in industry value added and reaching USD 203 billion in for-hire business shipments in 2023, underscoring a large and still-growing transportation market footprint.
07 · Category
Safety Metrics1 stats
01
In 2021, 16% of large truck crashes occurred in construction zones (NHTSA analysis).
Interpretation
Safety Metrics Interpretation
In 2021, 16% of large truck crashes happened in construction zones, underscoring that safety efforts for freight trucking must strongly focus on how vehicles are managed and protected at active work sites.
08 · Category
Emissions & Sustainability1 stats
01
In 2022, trucking (truck transportation) accounted for 77.7% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions within the transportation sector (freight trucking included in transportation categories; EPA inventory-based analysis).
Interpretation
Emissions & Sustainability Interpretation
In 2022, freight trucking’s share of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions was 77.7%, underscoring how central trucking is to Emissions and Sustainability efforts within the transportation sector.
09 · Category
Safety & Workforce4 stats
01
In 2023, long-haul trucking experienced 7.4% lower fuel economy for new powertrains after model-year changes (peer-reviewed analysis of fleet operating data summarized in SAE papers).
02
In 2022, 4.5% of all fatal crashes involved large trucks (NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, summarized in a crash statistics report).
03
In 2024, driver turnover in large truckload carriers averaged about 94% annually (industry benchmark as reported by DAT/Truckstop in workforce reports).
04
In 2023, about 36% of truck drivers reported they had experienced sleep-related fatigue issues at least sometimes in the previous month (peer-reviewed study on truck driver sleep/fatigue in the U.S.).
Interpretation
Safety & Workforce Interpretation
The Safety & Workforce picture shows that driver fatigue and churn remain major pressures even as crash impact from large trucks is relatively contained at 4.5% of fatal crashes in 2022, with 36% of drivers reporting sleep-related fatigue and large truckload carrier turnover averaging about 94% annually in 2024.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Freight Trucking Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/freight-trucking-industry-statistics
MLA
Felix Zimmermann. "Freight Trucking Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/freight-trucking-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Freight Trucking Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/freight-trucking-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
26 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)