Trucking Industry Data

1. Importance to the USA Economy – Significant!

With revenues well north of $700 Billion the trucking industry produces more GDP (Gross Domestic Product) than all but 32 countries globally. This has major economic consequences in the US in terms of employment and taxes.

In the USA almost 6% of American work in the trucking industry. That 7.5 million jobs! Walmart alone employs almost 10,000 truckers to move their products around the country.

In 2017, US based freight companies moved 11,000,000,000 pounds of freight (11 Billion) which equated to approximately 30 pounds of product for every person in the country.

We depend on truck drivers to transport over 70% of all the goods in the country. Rail, ship and airlines account for the remainder. Without the trucking industry the majority of grocery stores would run out of food in only 72 hours.

2. Employment – Major Opportunities Exist

The National Transportation Institute estimates the average age of truck drivers in the USA at 52 years old with 94% of drivers being male. Just over 40% of trucker jobs are held by minorities compared to 22% of overall jobs in the country.

The average income of truck drivers was $44,000 in 2018, compared to the national average of $47,000.

The average long-haul driver logs 100,000 miles per year compared to the average for individual motorist that logs about 13,500 miles per year.

Driver shortages are real and increasing. The American Trucking Association (ATA) estimates that the industry currently needs approximately 60,000 more drivers. But with retirements looming the that number will soon grow to over 100,000 and beyond.

Approximately 11% of LDH (Long Distance Haul) drivers are Veterans.

3. Safety – Improving Greatly!

Highway safety is improving dramatically! In the last decade the number of truck fatalities on USA highways decreased by 28% despite a 75% increase in traffic.

According to the ATA the large truck fatal crash rate as decreased from 4.65 deaths per million miles in 1980 to 1.29 deaths per million miles in 2014. A 74% decrease and 1,450 less fatalities annually.

Car drivers are primarily the cause of accidents involving large trucks. In 2015 this number was over 70% and mostly involved distracted car drivers or car drivers operating vehicles while intoxicated or high. 90% of head on crashes between motorists and large trucks were the result of the passenger car crossing the highway median into the trucks lane of travel.

The trucking industry has strict rules regarding electronic log (miles driven) monitoring, drug and alcohol testing, prohibiting the use of hand-held devices while driving, and safety training.

Darrell Pardy - Director, Brown Dog Carriers & Logistics