New ATRI Research: Industry Costs Increased More than 6 Percent During Freight Recession
Washington, D.C. – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released today 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.
Overall, 2023 expenses rose moderately across most categories, with average costs across line-items increasing at less than half the rates experienced during 2021 and 2022. Truck and trailer payments grew by 8.8 percent to $0.360 per mile, driver wages grew by 7.6 percent to $0.779 per mile, and repair and maintenance costs grew by 3.1 percent to $0.202 per mile. The exception to this trend was truck insurance premiums, which grew by 12.5 percent to $0.099 per mile after two years of negligible change.
