Trucking Industry Overview

Excerpt from Trucking Report

Companies in this industry provide long-distance and local trucking, including truckload (TL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) services. Major companies include US-based Con-way, JB Hunt, Schneider National, Swift Transportation, and YRC Worldwide, as well as Hitachi Transport System and Seino Transportation (Japan), Norbert Dentressangle (France), Stobart Group (UK), and TransForce (Canada).

Competitive Landscape

Demand is driven by consumer spending and manufacturing output. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations. Large companies have advantages in account relationships, bulk fuel purchasing, fleet size, and access to drivers. Small operations can compete effectively by providing quick turnaround, serving a local market, or transporting unusually sized goods. The US industry is fragmented: the 50 largest companies account for 40 percent of revenue.

Products, Operations & Technology

General trucking services include long-distance (85 percent of industry revenue) and local (15 percent) trucking. These classifications can be subdivided into truckload (TL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) services.