Trucking Will Increase Its Share of Freight

"We're an important part of the quality of life in this country," said Bill Graves, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA). "The United States achieved economic greatness with the help of the state-of-the-art transportation system. And trucks will continue to lead the freight landscape," he continued.

The ATA released its US Freight Transportation Forecast to 2018, which indicated trucking's total tonnage share should rise to 69.7% in 2012 and to 70% in 2018. The actual figure for 2006 was 69%.

Overall tonnage in the US is expected to increase over the period, and other modes will benefit as well, adding to the tonnages they haul. Rail intermodal and air freight will experience rapid growth, according to the report, which was produced for ATA by Global Insight. That said, neither mode will account for more than 2% of total tonnage in the market by 2018.

The energy portion of the report estimates the US trucking industry will spend more than $110 billion for diesel fuel in 2007.