In September ATRI released the findings of its 2015 update to An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking.  Using financial data provided directly by motor carriers throughout the country, this research documents and analyzes trucking costs from 2008 through 2014 providing motor carriers with a high level benchmarking tool, and government agencies with a baseline for future transportation infrastructure improvement analyses.

The average marginal cost per mile in 2014 was $1.70, an increase from the $1.68 found in 2013.  Despite falling fuel prices, the rise in average operating costs in 2014 is attributed to an increase in equipment purchases, as well as driver wage increases driven by the ongoing driver shortage and the need to retain the industry’s most experienced professional drivers.

“ATRI’s release of its annual Operational Costs of Trucking research is among our association members most eagerly anticipated. They understand and appreciate the value of ATRI’s operational cost analysis to their own fleet benchmarking and as such, are always willing participants when ATRI issues its call for cost data,” said Brenda Neville, President and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association and a member of ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee.

Since its original publication in 2008, ATRI has received nearly 10,000 requests for its Operational Costs of Trucking report, which continues to be among the most popular of ATRI’s research studies. In addition to average costs per mile, ATRI’s report documents average costs per hour, cost breakouts by industry sector, and operating cost comparisons by region of operations.

A copy of the white paper is available from ATRI’s website at www.atri-online.org.