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ATA: Trucking Trends Report Shows Impact of Pandemic on Industry

How much freight did trucks move in 2020? How many people are employed in the trucking industry? Find out in these highlights of ATA's annual Trucking Trends Report.

December 13, 2021
ATA: Trucking Trends Report Shows Impact of Pandemic on Industry

The trucking industry collected 80.4% of the nation’s freight bill, according to ATA.

File Photo: Jim Park

1 min to read


The trucking industry moved 10.23 billion tons of freight in 2020, generating $732.3 billion in revenue, according to the latest edition of American Trucking Associations’ American Trucking Trends 2021.

“We knew that the pandemic had a significant impact on our industry, but this year’s trends shows that despite those challenges, the trucking industry remained our nation’s lifeline – delivering the life-saving and life-sustaining essentials our country needed in a time of great need,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello in a press release.

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Among the findings in trends:

  • In 2020, trucks moved 10.23 billion tons of freight – down from 11.84 billion tons the previous year.

  • The industry collected 80.4% of the nation’s freight bill, unchanged from the previous year, while generating $732.3 billion.

  • Trucking employed 7.65 million people in industry-related jobs, including 3.36 million professional truck drivers.

  • Women made up 7.8% of the nation’s drivers – an all-time high – and minorities account for 42.3% of truck drivers.

  • Trucking remains a small business industry: 91.5% of fleets operate six or fewer trucks, and 97.4% operate less than 20.

  • Trucks moved 70.9% of the value of surface trade between the U.S. and Canada and 83.8% of cross-border trade with Mexico, for a total of $695 billion worth of goods.

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