Trucking Industry Facts 2010
The Trucking Industry
The U.S. trucking industry is comprised of over 227,930 for-hire carriers and more than 282,485 private carriers; 96.0% with less than 20 trucks.
The tucking industry employs 7.3 million people employed throughout the economy in jobs that relate to trucking activity in 2008, excluding self-employed.
In tonnage, trucks carried 68.8% of all freight – 10.2 billion tons in 2008.
In 2007, trucks hauled over $8.3 trillion worth of merchandise.
Professional Truck Drivers
There are 3.39 million truck drivers employed in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The average daily run for a long-haul, over-the-road truck driver is nearly 500 miles.
A majority of long-haul, over-the-road truck drivers will drive, on average, 100,000 to 110,000 miles per year.
Safety
In 2007, the large truck fatal crash rate was a record low 1.85 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Compared with 1.93 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicles miles in 2006. This has decreased 60 percent from 4.58 in 1975, the first year the USDOT began keeping records.
AAA found in July 2002 that 80 percent of crashes were caused by car drivers.
For all fatal large truck crashes, the FMCSA estimated fatigue to be a primary factor in only 7.0 percent.
Emission
A new truck today produces 90% less smog-forming NOx emissions as a similar truck manufactured just four years ago.
Sixty new trucks purchased this year will equal the particulate emissions of 1 truck purchased 20 years ago. Also, 30 new trucks purchased this year will equal the NOx emissions of 1 truck purchased 20 years ago.
Taxes
The federal and state governments collect an average of 49.1 cents in tax for each gallon of on-highway diesel fuel and 42.4 cents for each gallon of gasoline sold.
Commercial trucks make up only 12.2% of all registered vehicles, but pay $38.0 billion in combined federal and state highway-user taxes. Commercial truck taxes average nearly $18,000 per vehicle.
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