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ATA Report Breaks Down Trucking’s Big 2015

The American Trucking Associations has released the latest edition of its almanac of trucking, ATA American Trucking Trends 2016, which showcases industry trends over the last decade.

The new report reveals that trucking last year posted gains in employment, number of truck drivers, and truck sales. Trucking revenues in 2015 also set a new record high for the industry.

“In many ways, 2015 was a good year for our industry, and Trends clearly demonstrates that,” said Chris Spear, ATA president and CEO. “Trends provides indispensable information to trucking companies, industry suppliers, logistics providers, analysts, public policy decision makers, investors and many others. Information that is crucial to making sound decisions about the future.”

In the new edition of Trucking Trends, ATA found that trucking collected a record $726.4 billion in gross freight revenues, or 81.5% of the nation's freight bill in 2015. Trucks carried 10.49 tons of freight in 2015, accounting for 70.1% of domestic freight tonnage. The report also found that 3.63 million Class 8 trucks are in operation.

“According to our data, trucking revenues topped $700 billion for a second straight year, setting an all-time record of $726.4 billion in 2015, while trucks moved more than 10 billion tons of freight,” said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist.

“While the first half of 2016 has been challenging for the industry, trucking is coming off two very strong years and we are optimistic about the future," he added.

The American Trucking Trends 2016 report also includes data on key points like the amount of taxes the industry paid, the number of miles combination trucks traveled and what fuel they consumed, key employment data, and the number of trucking companies by company size.

The report is available for purchase here. For more on the American Trucking Trends, watch ATA chief economist Costello discuss the report here.

Related: Trucking Tops $700 Billion for First Time

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Tailgating Driver Not a Complete Idiot

Out-of-control car has bumped the semi and now veers to the left and will mangle itself on the rock wall, then.... Photo: Tom Berg from ADPS video.

Maybe you saw it on the news late last week: A motorist doing some high-speed tailgating on an Interstate highway in Arizona lost control and crashed big time. She lost it when she swerved to avoid a matress that she didn't see in enough time because she was too close to the pickup just ahead.

And what did she hit when she swerved to the right? A semitrailer, which wavered a bit from the impact but stabilized quickly. It was enough to cause her to lose control again, and.... Well, watch the Arizona Department of Public Safety video here.

Incredibly, the motorist was not injured at all when her car hit a rock wall to the left, rolled onto its roof and skidded to the right shoulder, because she was wearing her seat-and-shoulder belt. So she wasn't a complete idiot. An ABC News version of the video identifies her as a 23-year-old from Texas, and offers tips on tailgating vs. safe following.

Aside from her altering her brainless behavior, how could the accident have been avoided? The pickup's driver should've seen her coming and pulled over to let her pass. Or he could've sped up, gotten around the semi and pulled to the right, or slowed down and then pulled in behind the semi and watch her zoom by. That's what I do.

Or the semi's driver could've slowed down and let both cars go by. But in no way am I blaming that guy. He pulled over as required and probably ran back to help. That's what truckers do.

And ya know what? If either of the other drivers had done something different, this lady would've missed out on a life's lesson.

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