The trucking industry continues to be a major employer in the United States with 8.9 million people in trucking-related jobs in 2007, according to an American Trucking Associations (ATA) report.
Of the number of people employed in trucking-related jobs in 2007, nearly 3.5 million were truck drivers, according to the report, American Trucking Trends 2008-2009.
ATA publishes the report annually to provide industry data that motor carriers can use to make sound business decisions, especially in tough economic times.
Additional highlights from the report include statistics that indicate the trucking industry’s important role in domestic and international commerce. In 2007, trucks transported 57.8 percent of the value of trade between the United States and Canada, up 3.4 percent from the previous year, and transported 66.2 percent of the value of trade between the United States and Mexico, up 4.8 percent. At present, Canada and Mexico rank No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in terms of US trade partners.
The report also indicates that all trucks used for business purposes in 2006 logged 432.9 billion miles. Class 8 trucks accounted for 139.3 billion of those miles, up from 130.5 billion in 2005. In addition, trucks consumed 53.9 billion gallons of fuel for business purposes and paid $37.4 billion in federal and state highway-user taxes. Commercial trucks make up 12.5 percent of all registered vehicles, but paid 36.5 percent of total highway-user taxes in 2006.