Dive Brief:
- The American Transportation Research Institute issued its annual call Monday for fleets to participate in the industry nonprofit’s Operational Costs of Trucking survey.
- The 8-page survey asks about fleets’ International Fuel Tax Association (IFTA) mileage, repair and maintenance, tires, fuel, insurance premiums and other costs. Among other questions, it queries carriers on the type of freight they haul, as well as their 2023 trucking-related revenue and before-tax operating or profit margins.
- “We contribute data to ATRI’s Operational Costs every year because its findings are indispensable to our operations,” Ozark Motor Lines CFO Jason Higginbotham said in the announcement. “The customized peer-group analysis provides us an essential update on how our fleet performs, while the full report allows us to identify industry-wide trends and communicate them to our partners.”
Dive Insight:
Operational costs have set records in the past two years, according to the most recent surveys.
Average per-mile costs reached $2 in 2022, primarily driven by high fuel, wage and equipment costs, the American Trucking Associations’ research arm said in last year’s survey results.
Trucking operational costs reached record high in 2022
Expenses rose in 2022 in all but two categories: permits and licenses, and tolls.
Cost increases are a key trend carriers are monitoring this year, as they try to limit expenses while awaiting a freight demand turnaround. The survey asks about a variety of carrier costs, including questions on driver turnover, deadhead mileage, parking, EV charging stations, speed limiter use, and driver pay and benefits.
Last year’s survey results contained a glimmer of hope for trucking fleet operators in the costs category.
“Falling inflation could help ease costs and promote consumer spending,” the 2023 report said.
