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2025 Trucking Operational Costs and Industry Trends: Key Takeaways from ATRI’s Latest Report

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released its 2025 findings from An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, providing critical data on cost and performance trends shaping the trucking industry today.


Overall Operating Costs

In 2024, the average cost to operate a truck was $2.26 per mile, reflecting a slight 0.4% decrease from the previous year. However, when excluding fuel costs, non-fuel operating expenses rose 3.6% to $1.779 per mile — the highest level recorded in ATRI’s history.


Cost Breakdown Highlights

  1. Fuel and Maintenance: Both fuel expenses and repair/maintenance costs declined compared to 2023.

  2. Driver Wages: Driver wages increased by 2.4%, slightly below the inflation rate.

  3. Truck and Trailer Payments: These payments rose by 8.3%, reaching a record high of $0.39 per mile.

  4. Driver Benefits: Costs increased 4.8%, reaching $0.197 per mile.


Profitability Impact

The trucking industry continues to face tight margins. Average operating margins were below 2% across all sectors except less-than-truckload (LTL). The truckload segment reported an average operating margin of -2.3%, highlighting ongoing financial pressures.


Operational Adjustments

Several operational impacts were noted as carriers respond to market conditions:

  1. Truck capacity declined by 2.2% as fleets sold or sidelined trucks.

  2. Empty miles increased to an average of 16.7%, indicating underutilized capacity.

  3. The number of drivers per truck decreased to 0.93.

  4. Non-driver staff headcount was reduced by 6.8%.


Three icons depict transport improvements: newer truck fleet, faster stop times, and fewer breakdowns. Text: Key Improvements Despite Challenges.

These improvements demonstrate ongoing efforts to maintain efficiency and reliability.


Benchmarking and Performance Analysis

Carriers participating in ATRI’s benchmarking program receive customized reports comparing their operational performance to anonymized peer groups of similar size and sector. These insights are valuable for identifying cost management opportunities and enhancing operational effectiveness.


Full Report Access


Sources

  1. American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, 2025 Report

  2. ATRI Website: https://truckingresearch.org

  3. Industry Cost and Performance Benchmarks, ATRI Data Sets, 2024-2025

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