U.S. Trucking Revenue Reaches $936.4 Billion in ATA 2026 Report

The U.S. trucking industry generated $936.4 billion in revenue during 2025, up from $906 billion a year earlier, according to the American Trucking Associations' newly released 2026 American Trucking Trends report. Trucks moved 11.46 billion tons of freight, compared with 11.27 billion tons in 2024. ATA published the latest annual data on October 26.

Employment remained broad across the sector. ATA counted 8.5 million people in trucking-related jobs, including 3.45 million professional drivers. The industry also remained dominated by small businesses: 91.1% of carriers operated 10 or fewer trucks, while 99.2% operated fewer than 100 power units.

Cross-border figures underline trucking's role in North American trade. Trucks moved 68% of surface trade between the United States and Canada and 86% of goods crossing the Mexican border during 2025. The report also covers fuel prices, safety, taxes, household-goods activity and wider economic conditions.

The higher tonnage and revenue totals do not mean every carrier experienced a strong year. ATA's chief economist described modest growth alongside escalating operating costs and uneven freight volumes. Owner-operators should compare their own loaded miles, empty miles, revenue per day, fuel, insurance, maintenance and financing expenses with industry headlines before expanding. CDL students can read the employment figure as evidence of trucking's scale, not a promise of identical wages or job availability in every market. The report provides a national benchmark; lane selection, customer mix, equipment type and operating discipline still determine whether an individual fleet converts freight demand into sustainable profit.