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General Freight Trucking (Truckload) in the US Industry Data and Analysis
The general freight trucking industry navigated substantial volatility over the current five-year period, driven by surging consumer demand and elevated freight volumes through 2021 and 2022. This was followed by a prolonged freight recession and gradual recovery through 2025. The early-period demand surge attracted new market entrants and drove significant revenue growth, as e-commerce expansion and supply chain reconfiguration generated consistent shipment volumes. Profit as a share of revenue rose from 8.5% in 2020 to 17.1% in 2025. Still, margin growth has been constrained by inflation-driven increases in operating costs and ongoing overcapacity. The Federal Reserve's monetary policy tightening in 2023 slowed manufacturing and consumer spending, triggering a freight recession that persisted through much of 2024 and compressed spot rates despite carriers' attempts to maintain pricing discipline. Carriers responded by improving operational efficiency through technology investments. Other small enterprises exited the industry since profit turned negative. Smaller operators continue to struggle against larger enterprises that have stronger cash flows and greater access to capital. A 25.0% tariff on medium and heavy-duty trucks and their components has further complicated the operating environment by raising purchase costs and dampening import volumes at West Coast ports. Spot rates and contract renegotiations are reflecting both reduced freight demand and carriers' elevated capital requirements. Still, industry revenue reached $267.1 billion in 2025, growing 1.6% year-over-year, with the current five-year period recording a CAGR of 5.9%.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released January 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States operates under the NAICS industry code OD6146. This industry comprises operators that provide freight truckload trucking. These general freight truckload carriers provide full-truck movement of freight from origin to destination. The shipment of freight on a truck is characterized as a full single load not combined with other shipments. Related terms covered in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States include truckload, fuel surcharge, owner-operator and general freight.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States include Long-distance truckload transportation, Moderate-distance truckload transportation and Intermodal transportation.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States include Hunt J B Transport Services Inc.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States in 2026?
The market size of the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States is $267.1bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States in 2026?
There are 632k businesses in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 6.8 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States?
The General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States?
The General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 5.9 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States?
The biggest company operating in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States is Hunt J B Transport Services Inc.
What does the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States include?
Long-distance truckload transportation and Moderate truckload transportation are part of the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States.
Which companies have the highest market share in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States?
The company holding the most market share in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States is Hunt J B Transport Services Inc..
How competitive is the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry in the United States.
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