ARLINGTON, Va.—Trucking continues to be the dominant mode of freight transportation in the U.S., carrying more than two-thirds of U.S. freight last year, according to “ATA American Trucking Trends 2013,” an American Trucking Associations report.
U.S. trucks moved 9.4 billion tons of freight in 2012, or 68.5 percent of the nation's annual freight total, the report said. Total gross freight-related revenue for the industry was $642.1 billion, or 80.7 percent of the nation's total, according to the ATA. All these figures represented an advance over 2011, it said.
Nationwide, the trucking industry employs 6.9 million people, the ATA said.
“As the nation continues to travel the road to recovery following the Great Recession, it is becoming increasingly clear that trucking is leading the way,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.
“American Trucking Trends 2013” is available from ATA Business Solutions and participating state trucking associations, the ATA said.