Despite the availability of alternative transportation methods such as railways and air transport, trucking and logistics hold a commanding position, not only as a leader but also offering a blend of cost efficiency and safety. This balance firmly establishes trucking as an indispensable and irreplaceable mode of transporting goods, surpassing all other options. Check out our collection of 30 fascinating trucking and logistics-related facts.
- The United States sold 476,000 industrial trucks in 2022.
- The total revenue of the US trucking industry is more than $940 billion.
- There are 16 million heavy and tractor-trailer trucks in the US, but only 3.5 million certified professional truck drivers. Out of that 3.5 million, 1.98 million are employee drivers.
- Over 9 million people directly depend on the logistics industry as their main source of income. Buchanan Logistics employs hundreds of people within their company all over the United States, and even more through their logistics services.
- There are 587,000 self-employed or owner-operators, and of these, 351,000 are classified as long-distance drivers.
- Each year, 300,000 new logistic-related jobs are created.
- An average driver receives $0.67 per mile for freight trucking. Thankfully at Buchanan, we are well above that.
- The drivers’ wages cost 32% of the freight trucking costs in the US as of 2022.
- A driver's benefits make up roughly 8% of the cost of freight trucking, on top of their wage percentage.
- The North American logistics market is estimated to be worth 1.55 trillion dollars in 2024. The North American logistics market is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2029. Buchanan Logistics is a huge part of that growth.
- The most common commodities hauled are food, electronics, and furniture.
- US trucking companies believe that the biggest challenges they face are Driver Retention, Operational Costs, Increasing Competition, Regulatory Compliance, Driver Shortages, Environmental Impact, and Customer Expectations.
- On average, a new truck driver's salary can be as low as $40,000 per year depending on location.
- On average, a solo truck driver earns an average of $81,249 per year, while local drivers earn approximately $72,000 depending on location and bonus structure.
- According to ZipRecruiter, a trucker will make roughly $27 per hour. This is below Buchanan Hauling’s average.
- The trucking industry provides for roughly 1.64% of the United States GDP.
- Logistics handle 91% of lumber and wood, 83% of agricultural produce, 92% of prepared dairy, foods, and canned items, and 65% of pharmaceutical essentials.
- Truckers who delay retirement and work for small to medium-sized businesses cover an average of over 115,000 miles per year, accumulating nearly 3 million miles over their lifetime. In fact, Buchanan hires retired truck drivers for local routes, and to also be escorts or pilot car drivers for our heavy haul division.
- A small business truck driver, on average, covers a yearly distance ranging from 115,000 to 125,000 miles, translating to approximately 500 miles per day across a standard 250-working-day year.
- Truck drivers spend a significant 66% of their nights away from home each year. It’s reassuring to note that Buchanan Hauling prioritizes family to ensure their drivers can return home every weekend if possible.
- Most of the trucking industry comprises small trucking businesses. Based on recent findings, 95.8% of trucking carriers operate ten or fewer trucks, and 99.7% of fleets operate 100 or fewer trucks as of 2022.
- Truck drivers face substantial taxes and fines, amounting to up to 36%, imposed by highway authorities, despite lower traffic volume compared to private cars and motorcycles.
- A company, on average, saves more than 13% through reduced labor costs, economies of scale, and access to specialized knowledge and experience when they outsource their shipping to a logistics firm. This translates to millions of dollars regularly. Helping companies profit and grow, through our services, is part of our goal at Buchanan Logistics.
- The word “logistics” comes from a 19th-century French word, “logistique,” which was originally exclusively associated with the transportation of soldiers.
- The combined annual distance covered by all trucks is an astonishing 327.48 billion miles.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average age of a commercial truck driver in the US is 55 years old.
- According to recent data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were around 500,000 law enforcement-reported collisions involving large trucks in the United States in recent years.
- Warehousing and fulfillment is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the logistics industry.
- American businesses spend approximately $1.5 trillion on logistical expenses, which is equal to almost 8% of the entire US GDP.
- According to Women In Trucking, as of 2022, almost 14% of professional drivers in the trucking industry are made up of women.
