Long Distance Specialized Freight Trucking

The 10,292 long distance specialized freight trucking companies in the US offer highway hauling services for goods that are more logistically challenging to transport than standard freight. Specialized freight truckers carry cargo such as hazardous chemicals, refrigerated perishables, livestock and farm products, automobiles, bulk liquids, and refuse. Long distance truckers carry freight across state lines throughout the US and into Canada and Mexico.

High Maintenance Costs

Specialized freight trucking firms face significantly higher maintenance and repair costs than standard carriers.

Regulatory Complexity

The trucking industry is highly regulated in the areas of safety and emissions, but fast-moving technology integration is adding to the myriad of challenging legal requirements.

Sep 2, 2026 - Higher Operating Costs Continue to Weigh on Trucking Industry

• The Trump administration is stepping up enforcement against immigrant truck drivers, adding another headache for a trucking industry already struggling to keep enough drivers behind the wheel. Federal officials have shut down nearly 300 commercial driving schools over training concerns and are targeting drivers whose licenses may remain valid after their visas or work permits expire. About 200,000 immigrants hold licenses allowing them to haul freight professionally, roughly 5% of US license holders, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Carriers say the crackdown is tightening an already difficult labor market and pushing them to spend more on recruiting and wages. J.B. Hunt says it has more than doubled, and possibly tripled, its driver recruiting staff. The effects are also reaching shippers, with some small businesses reporting less reliable trucking service, higher rates and fees, and greater difficulty getting trucks when they need them.
• The trucking industry's financial pressures intensified in 2025 as operating costs climbed to a record $2.336 per mile, up 3.4% from a year earlier, according to the American Transportation Research Institute's (ATRI) 2026 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking. Excluding fuel, costs rose 4.2% to $1.854 per mile, driven by sharp increases in tolls (13.2%), repair and maintenance (8.6%), driver benefits (6.6%), and tires (6.4%). In response to weak freight demand and stagnant rates, carriers cut capacity by 2.4%, left 10% of trucks unseated on average, and reduced non-driver staffing by 7.8%, yet profitability remained strained. Operating margins for truckload and refrigerated carriers stayed below 1%, while flatbed carriers posted an average operating loss. ATRI said first-quarter 2026 data indicate these cost pressures have largely continued, even as freight rates begin to improve.
• The Iran war has sharply increased fuel costs and volatility for the trucking industry, where diesel is one of the largest operating expenses. According to the Financial Times, US diesel prices recently climbed to about $5.66 per gallon, helping drive wholesale inflation to 6%, the highest level since 2022. Industry analysts say diesel has risen roughly 35-41% since the conflict escalated, fueled by disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil normally flows. For trucking companies, every 50-cent rise in diesel can add roughly $0.08-$0.10 per mile in operating costs, squeezing already thin margins for small fleets and independent owner-operators. Larger carriers are offsetting some of the impact through fuel surcharges and route optimization, but higher freight costs are increasingly flowing through to retailers, food suppliers, and consumers across the broader economy.
• Truck driver employment in the US hit an 8-year low in March 2026, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting 1.4 million jobs - down 27,300 from 2025 and 124,500 below the October 2022 peak. The last three months have all fallen below 2017 levels, and the true picture is likely worse since self-employed owner-operators aren't counted in the BLS data and have been squeezed by years of low freight rates and spiking diesel prices. Tightening regulations and rising fuel costs from Trump’s Iran adventure are pressuring smaller carriers, making it difficult to add or maintain headcount even as spot rates improve. Despite the weak labor data, a strong new tractor order book suggests some carriers believe the current market tightness will persist - though analysts note it remains difficult to translate rising rates into actual hiring after years of thin margins.

Industry size & Structure

The average long distance specialized trucking company has about 16 employees and generates $5 million in revenue per year.

• The long distance specialized trucking industry consists of about 10,300 companies that employ 173,625 workers, and generate $51.2 billion in revenue.
• The majority of companies (about 88%) are small businesses with 20 employees or less. Only about 180 companies have 500 or more employees.
• The industry is fragmented with the 20 largest firms representing 27% of industry revenue.
• About 95% of US trucking companies operate 10 or fewer trucks.
• Large companies include Landstar Systems, Schneider International, CR England, JB Hunt Transport Services, and XPO Logistics.