Trucking to Remain Dominant Freight Mode
Trucking will continue to be the dominant mode of freight transportation in the United States over the next 10 years, according to a new report by American Trucking Associations.
The “U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to . . . 2018” predicts growth for all modes, with trucking’s share of freight tonnage increasing from 69% in 2006 to 70% in 2018.
Despite current weakness in truck tonnage, growth will be driven by above-average growth in key truck commodities and shipper demand for flexibility and on-time delivery, ATA said.
Rail intermodal and air freight will be the fastest growing segments, but neither mode will have more than 2% of overall tonnage during the 10-year forecast period, ATA said.
Other modes in the report are rail, water and pipeline.
Global Insight, an economic research firm, produces the forecast report for ATA each year.
