Truckers lost $94.6 billion to congestion in 2021, up from $74.5 billion in 2016, according to a new report by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).
The report found that congestion costs the trucking industry in a number of ways, including:
- Increased driver compensation
- Higher fuel costs
- Increased repair and maintenance costs
- Supply chain disruptions
- Inefficient use of fuel
- Diminished air quality
California, Texas, Florida, and New York had the highest congestion costs, ranging from $4.9 billion for New York to $9 billion for California.
Nevada, Louisiana, Georgia, and California experienced the highest percentage increases in congestion costs since 2016.
When the overall congestion cost is distributed across all registered tractor-trailers in the U.S., the average annual cost of congestion per truck is $6,824.
This is equivalent to 3% of the average annual revenue generated per truck in the truckload sector in 2021.
The ATRI report calls on policymakers to invest in transportation infrastructure and improve traffic management to reduce congestion and its costs to the trucking industry and the economy as a whole.