Dive Brief:
- The average cost to operate a truck rose $2.336 per mile in 2025, a 3.4% year-over-year increase and the highest level recorded in the history of the American Transportation Research Institute’s Operational Costs of Trucking report.
- Costs increased across nearly every category, with the largest upticks in tolls (13.2%), repair and maintenance (8.6%), driver benefits (6.6%) and tires (6.4%), according to the report released July 15.
- Carriers responded by trimming freight capacity. Average truck counts declined by 2.4%, and fleets left roughly 10% of their equipment idle to help offset those higher expenses.
Dive Insight:
While the year-over-year increase amounted to just 8 cents per mile, the average operating cost of $2.336 per mile marks the highest level in the report’s history. The 3.4% increase also outpaced last year’s 2.7% inflation rate, indicating transportation costs continued to rise faster than the broader economy.
Only two cost categories increased more slowly than inflation in 2025: fuel and driver pay. Fuel costs were flat year over year at roughly 48 cents per mile, while industry-wide driver pay increased 2.5%.
Operating costs also varied significantly by region.
The Northeast remained the nation’s most expensive market, posting the highest costs for driver wages and benefits, insurance and tolls. The West ranked second, driven by elevated fuel prices and truck and trailer expenses.
The Midwest was the only region to report declines in both fuel and wage costs from 2024 to 2025. Combined truck and trailer costs in the area also increased by just 0.2 cents per mile, the smallest increase among the U.S. regions.
Despite the doldrums of a lingering freight recession, profitability showed modest signs of improvement. Less-than-truckload carriers posted flat YoY operating margins of 11.6%, and truckload carriers rebounded from a 2.3% operating loss in 2024 to a 0.4% operating margin last year.
“Freight rates are finally turning a corner in 2026, but the acceleration of industry-wide costs means that fleets must continue with aggressive cost discipline,” said Chad Marsilio, PGT Trucking COO, in the release.
