ATA's trends report shows freight tonnage down, revenue up in 2023

Updated Sep 15, 2024
Tractor-trailer on highway (AI generated)

The American Trucking Associations has published the latest edition of its annual industry data compendium: American Trucking Trends 2024.

“Trends is an important record of how the trucking industry is performing,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. â€śThat’s why it is on the shelves of business leaders and policymakers across North America.

“This year’s edition shows that 2023 was a very challenging year, but the industry weathered the storm, moving more than 11 billion tons of freight during the year,” he said.

Among the key findings in this year’s report: 

  • Preliminary figures indicate that trucks moved 11.18 billion tons of freight in 2023, down from the 11.46 billion tons hauled the previous year
  • Preliminary figures indicate that the industry saw revenues grow to $987 billion, up from $940.8 billion in 2022
  • Trucking employed 8.5 million people in industry-related jobs, including 3.55 million professional drivers in 2023
  • The industry remains one made up of small businesses, with 95.5% of carriers operating 10 or fewer trucks and 99.6% operating fewer than 100 power units
  • Cross-border trade remained a robust source of freight for motor carriers, with trucks moving 66.5% of surface trade between the US and Canada, and 84.5% of goods across the Mexican border in 2023

This year’s version of Trends also includes important data about household goods movements, the broader macroeconomy and more.

American Trucking Trends 2024 is available for purchase at ATABusinessSolutions.com.