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The Newsletter of the Non-Profit Research Organization for the Trucking Industry

Industry Costs Increased More

than 6 Percent During Freight Recession

ATRI has released the findings of its 2024 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking. This annual report analyzes line-item costs, operating efficiencies, and revenue benchmarks by fleet sector and size, providing crucial benchmarking for motor carriers and a comprehensive overview of the financial state of trucking for decisionmakers in both industry and government.

The overall marginal costs of operating a truck hit $2.270 per mile in 2023. While the increase was only 0.8 percent over the previous year, when surcharge-protected fuel costs are excluded, marginal costs rose 6.6 percent to $1.716 per mile.

The report also includes analyses of cost trends in 2024 and beyond, including, for the first time, carrier-reported changes in Q1 2024 costs.

“The current economic environment makes cost management essential to successful operations,” said Gregg Troian, PGT Trucking President. “ATRI’s Operational Costs report provides the targeted costs and operational benchmarks necessary to identify opportunities for reducing expenses and how to best act on those opportunities in our fleet.”

ATRI has released new research identifying approaches to increase the number of women truck drivers entering and staying in the industry. After quantifying six key challenge areas facing women truck drivers, the research lays out an action plan for the industry – with discrete steps for motor carriers, truck driver training schools and truck drivers – all designed to make trucking careers more attractive to women.

This research was identified by ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee in March of 2023 as a top priority to help further understand the challenges women drivers encounter. The research then promulgates specific strategies that the industry can implement to increase the relatively small number of women in trucking. 

Thousands of truck drivers, motor carriers and truck driver training schools provided input through surveys, interviews and a women driver focus group to identify the underlying factors that generate challenges, as well as strategies for navigating and overcoming these barriers to success for women drivers.

The research found that women are drawn to driving careers for the income potential, highlighting the fact that pay parity for women and men is much more prevalent in the trucking industry than in other fields. 

The analysis also found that carriers that implement women-specific recruiting and retention initiatives have a higher percentage of women drivers (8.1%) than those without (5.0%). The report details how fleets can put such initiatives in place.

Two Industry Leaders Appointed to ATRI Board

ATRI has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors:

• Brett Merritt, President – Engine Business, Cummins Inc., Columbus, Indiana
• Harold Sumerford, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, J&M Tank Lines, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama

The appointments were made by ATRI Chairman of the Board Derek Leathers, Werner Enterprises Chairman and CEO.

“These gentlemen bring a wealth of industry experience and expertise to our board,” said ATRI President and COO Rebecca Brewster. “ATRI benefits from a very engaged Board of Directors and we welcome the involvement of Brett and Harold.” 

For more than two decades, ATRI has provided award-winning research to improve the trucking industry’s safety and productivity. Our mission is clear and our dedicated team of research professionals deliver on that mission each and every day. And, in recognition of all that ATRI does, the following organizations and individuals have supported ATRI with a charitable contribution this year (as of July 23, 2024).

A&M Transport

Alabama Trucking Association

Amy Boerger

ArcBest Corporation

Arkansas Trucking Association

Beasley Timber Co.

Ben Banks

Bison Transport

Boyle Transportation

Bulldog Hiway Express

BR Williams Trucking

California Trucking Association

Co-Pilot Vision Systems

Colorado Motor Carriers Association

Corcentric

CRINC

CRST International

Dan Van Alstine

David and Betsy Manning

FedEx

Florida Trucking Association

Garner Transportation Group

Georgia Motor Trucking Association

Graphite Logistics

Great West Casualty Company

Greater Omaha Express

Heniff Transportation Systems

Hirschbach

Hoekstra Transportation, LLC

Idaho Trucking Association

Iowa Motor Truck Association

J.B. Hunt Transport Inc.

James Burg Trucking Company

Jet Express

Joy Miller

Kansas Motor Carriers Association

Kenan Advantage Group

Kentucky Trucking Association

Keystone Risk Partners

Lovejoy's Family Moving

Maine Motor Transport Association

Maryland Motor Truck Association

Maverick Transportation

Mike Cafarelli

Minnesota Trucking Association

Missouri Trucking Association

Montana Trucking Association

Motor Transport Association of Connecticut

Nagle Companies

Nathan Meisgeier

National Association of Presort Mailers

National Conference of State Transportation Specialists

National Horse Carriers Association

National Tank Truck Carriers

New Mexico Trucking Association

North Carolina Trucking Association

North Dakota Motor Carriers Association

Ohio Trucking Association

Old Dominion Freight Line

Oregon Trucking Association

Ozark Motor Lines

Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association

Perfect Transportation LLC

Pitt Ohio

Prime, Inc.

Rebecca Brewster

Rhode Island Trucking Association

Roberts Perryman, PC

Ruan Transportation Management Systems

Scott Cranford

Shorty and Ro Whittington 

South Carolina Trucking Association

Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association

Stillwater Associates LLC

Structall Building Systems

Texas Trucking Association

Toledo Trucking Association

Tom Kearney

Tommy Hodges

Total Transportation of Mississippi LLC

Towing and Recovery Management Summit

Trucking Association of New York

TrueNorth Companies

Universal Traffic Service

UPS

Virginia Trucking Association

Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association

Wyoming Trucking Association

In Honor of

Phil Byrd

Whether you make a personal contribution or contribute on behalf of your organization, your financial support will mean that we can continue to produce award-winning research to support your business and your industry. Please consider adding your name to this list of industry leaders by giving to ATRI today.

ATRI Team Talks Trucking

ATRI Senior Research Associate Alex Leslie joins the LandLine Now podcast to discuss ATRI's 2024 Operational Costs of Trucking report. Listen to the podcast by clicking image above.

ATRI Research Analyst Abbigail Huffman joins the LandLine Now Podcast for a discussion on ATRI's latest research on the challenges faced by women truck drivers. Listen to the podcast by clicking image above.

Upcoming opportunities to hear the ATRI team talk about the latest research:

• July 25-27: Louisiana Motor Truck Association Annual Convention, Point Clear, AL – Rebecca Brewster

• August 8 at 9 a.m. ET, ATRI on the Air on the Nemo Show on ATRI's 2024 Operational Costs of Trucking, SiriusXM Ch. 146 – Alex Leslie

• August 13-14: National Conference of State Transportation Specialists, Traverse City, MI – Alex Leslie

• August 14-15: 2024 Women in Motion Symposium, Des Moines, IA – Abbigail Huffman

• August 14: SMC3 Sustainability Summit, Peachtree City, GA – Jeff Short

• August 27-28: Arkansas Trucking Association Accounting and Finance Council - Little Rock, AR – Alex Leslie

• September 4-5: Nucor Carrier Conference, Chicago, IL – Alex Leslie

• September 9-12: Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Annual Conference, Big Sky, MT – Carla Rose and Abbigail Huffman

• September 12-13: Wisconcon Motor Carriers Annual Convention, Elkhart Lake, WI – Alex Leslie

• September 15-17: Trimble Insight Tech Conference, Las Vegas, NV – Dan Murray



• September 15-17: Tennessee Trucking Association Annual Convention, Miramar Beach, FL – Rebecca Brewster

An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2024 Update

Identifying and Mitigating the Challenges Faced by Women Truck Drivers

Renewable Diesel – A Catalyst for Decarbonization Full Report

2024 Annual List of Top 100 Truck Bottlenecks

Is California Ready for an Electric Vehicle Future? – One-Page Analysis

Causes and Countermeasures of Predatory Towing

AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE | TruckingResearch.org

Atlanta, GA • Minneapolis, MN • Washington, DC • Sacramento, CA

ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.