The American Trucking Association said the trucking industry generated US$700.4 billion in revenue last year, making 2014 the first year the industry topped the $700 billion mark. The organization reported that 68.8 percent of all American domestic freight, or 9.96 billion tonnes, moved by truck. The $700.4 billion in revenue accounted for 80.3 percent of all freight transportation spending in the U.S.
ATA states that trucking employed more than 7 million people, including 3.4 million drivers across the country. Since deregulation, the number of U.S. trucking carriers has grown by 68 times to more than 1.3 million carriers.
“Last year, we saw freight volumes grow significantly,” said Bob Costello, ATA’s chief economist. “Increases in freight, combined with continued tight capacity, helped drive revenues.”