
07/08/2025
Transport Topics highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the U.S. trucking industry due to high operational costs and low freight rates. According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the total marginal cost of operating a truck in 2023 reached a record $2.270 per mile, marking a 0.8% increase over 2022. This rise occurred despite a decrease in fuel costs by 8.8 cents per mile. Notably, costs excluding fuel rose by 6.6%, even amid a freight recession. The report also indicates a rise in deadhead mileage to an average of 16.3% for non-tank operations and an increase in driver turnover rates, particularly among truckload carriers with 26 to 100 trucks, where turnover jumped from 29.2% in 2022 to 51% in 2023. These factors have strained profitability across the industry, with wages increasing predominantly in the less-than-truckload sector due to market shifts and union contracts.
ATRI's latest Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking survey found that while the average cost of operating a truck dipped slightly last year, some marginal costs jumped.