The Numbers That Define the State of Trucking

Trucking is an increasingly data-driven industry. Numbers matter. There’s no end to the available software and analytics available to fleets today to help them analyze and improve their operations.

But sometimes you want to look at statistics and data to help give you the big picture, and this is what Heavy Duty Trucking’s annual Fact Book is all about. It’s designed to provide a snapshot of the current state of the industry, where it’s been, and where it’s going. These numbers can help you in planning and benchmarking your fleet, and in telling trucking’s story to others. And it can serve as a reference guide throughout the year.

This is the seventh year for the HDT Fact Book, and we’ve made some changes this year. As we did last year with a special COVID-19 section, we are working to introduce more of our own original research, which you’ll see in the Safety section and, to a lesser extent, in the Logistics section. 

We’ve tried to be more selective with the data and statistics we’ve chosen, looking to illustrate industry trends that fleet managers should be aware of. In some cases we’ve combined data from different sources into one graph for better trend comparisons. 

And we’ve added a short introduction to each section offering some larger analysis and commentary to help put all these numbers in perspective.

Check out each section of the 2021 Fact Book below:

Industry: Trucking Rides High on Economic Recovery

Logistics: Winners in Logistics Adapt to Fast-Changing Demands

Safety: Safety, Regulatory Issues Top of Mind for Fleets

Drivers: Driver Trends Remain Consistent

Equipment: Truck, Trailer Makers Strive to Keep Up With Demand

Maintenance: Maintenance Costs Expected to Rise

Sustainability: Sustainability Focus Not Slowed By Pandemic