General freight trucking, local — US Industry Report
The general freight trucking, local industry in the United States generated an estimated ~$76.8B in annual revenue across 46.3K establishments employing 284.1K workers (Census Bureau). This 31-page report analyzes industry performance, competitive dynamics, and delivers 5-year growth forecasts.
Industry Snapshot
- ▸Employment contracted sharply. Local trucking faces structural headwinds after sustained growth.
- ▸Fragmented market structure creates both operational inefficiency and acquisition targets.
- ▸E-commerce demand growth significantly outpacing workforce expansion in local trucking.
- ▸Labor costs dominate revenue structure while wage growth lags cost pressures.
Table of Contents
Key takeaways, industry definition, and current state overview. Covers the industry's scope, principal activities, NAICS classification context, and a concise snapshot of where the industry stands today. Reading this alone gives decision-makers the high-level picture they need before diving into data-backed chapters.
Historical performance analysis covering establishments, employment, and payroll (2012-2025). Examines what has driven industry performance in recent years, how the industry has responded to macroeconomic cycles, and which operating conditions have shaped revenue and labor dynamics. Includes source-cited tables and year-by-year data points.
5-year projections (2026-2030) with base case, bull case, and bear case scenarios. Each scenario combines historical trends, macroeconomic indicators from FRED, and industry-specific signals. Addresses questions on expected trajectory, forecast risk, downside drivers, and the assumptions behind each scenario.
Growth drivers, risk factors, and external environment analysis. Unpacks the forces that will shape the industry over the forecast horizon — demographic shifts, regulatory changes, technology adoption, and cyclical exposure. Frames both the upside opportunities and the structural risks operators and investors should weigh.
Market structure, concentration, barriers to entry, and competitive dynamics. Describes how the industry is structured between incumbents and entrants, typical competitive strategies, and what separates successful operators. Standard-tier reports add the official CR4, CR8, CR20, CR50 and HHI from the Census Economic Census, plus the largest public operators named from SEC EDGAR 10-K filings.
Cost structure, labor requirements, technology factors, and the regulatory environment. Examines where operators spend, how sensitive margins are to input costs, what workforce and technology investments are typical, and which compliance and regulatory constraints shape day-to-day operations and long-term planning.
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats — each supported by concrete evidence from the underlying data. Moves beyond generic bullet points by tying each SWOT element to specific metrics, structural trends, or external forces identified elsewhere in the report. Useful for strategic planning and risk assessment.
Regional market concentration, wage dynamics, and emerging geographic opportunities. Breaks establishments, employment, and payroll down by state and region, identifies where the industry is densest, where it is growing fastest, and how local labor markets and wage levels differ. Standard-tier and higher includes state-level tables.
Report Preview
Low-resolution overview of all 31 pages
Want to see a full report before you buy?
Download a free sample report →Industry Analysis
The General freight trucking, local industry (NAICS 48411) encompasses 46.3K establishments in the United States employing 284.1K workers, generating an estimated ~$76.8B in annual revenue (Census Bureau). Classified within Transportation and Warehousing, the industry is positioned in a growth phase of its life cycle.
This report examines historical performance trends (2012-2025), competitive structure, geographic distribution, and provides a 5-year outlook (2026-2030) with growth drivers, risk factors, and industry-specific SWOT analysis.
Products & Services
Key service categories in the General freight trucking, local industry.
Who Uses These Reports
Trusted by professionals who need verified federal data to make decisions
Investors & PE Firms
Size markets, validate deal theses, and benchmark targets with verified federal data before committing capital
Consultants & Advisors
Deliver data-backed recommendations to clients with sourced and cited industry metrics — Census, BLS, and FRED
Founders & Operators
Validate market entry, benchmark against industry averages, and present credible data to investors and boards
Corporate Strategy Teams
Support expansion planning, M&A due diligence, and executive reporting with NAICS-classified industry data
Top Questions Answered
What is the market size of the General freight trucking, local industry?
The General freight trucking, local industry generated ~$54.7B in revenue (US Census Economic Census, 2022). Full analysis available in report.
How fast has the General freight trucking, local industry been growing?
The industry has demonstrated strong growth over the past decade, outpacing the broader U.S. economy and reflecting sustained demand for localized freight movement driven by e-commerce expansion,... Full analysis available in report.
What is the outlook for the General freight trucking, local industry?
The industry is projected to continue its growth trajectory, supported by the ongoing structural shift toward regional and local supply chain configurations as businesses prioritize delivery speed... Full analysis available in report.
What does NAICS 48411 cover — what businesses are included or excluded?
NAICS 48411 covers establishments primarily engaged in providing general freight trucking services over local routes — typically defined as operating within a single metropolitan area or within... Full analysis available in report.
How many businesses operate in the General freight trucking, local industry?
There were approximately 46,300 establishments and 284,100 employees in the General freight trucking, local industry (Census CBP, 2023). Full analysis available in report.
How competitive is the General freight trucking, local industry?
The industry is intensely competitive and remains highly fragmented, with low capital barriers to entry at the owner-operator level enabling a constant influx of new participants. Full analysis available in report.
How does compensation compare across roles and regions in this industry?
Compensation in local general freight trucking varies considerably by role, with driver pay influenced by route structure, hourly versus mileage-based pay models, and whether the position is... Full analysis available in report.
What types of companies are the major players in General freight trucking, local?
The competitive landscape spans national logistics platform operators with dedicated local freight divisions, regional carriers serving multi-city metropolitan corridors, and a large base of small... Full analysis available in report.
Get complete answers with detailed growth rates, forecasts, and competitive analysis.
Methodology
This report is produced using AI-assisted analysis of official US government data sources. Our methodology combines automated data collection from federal statistical databases with AI-assisted synthesis and validation. Every numerical claim undergoes a validation pass against source data.
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns and Economic Census provide establishment counts, employment, and payroll broken out by NAICS industry and geography. The Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW program supplies wage data by industry. The Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) service contributes macroeconomic indicators used for industry forecasting — GDP, interest rates, housing starts, and sector-specific indices.
Data freshness varies by source: Census CBP has a ~2 year lag, BLS lags 6-9 months, and FRED provides near real-time macroeconomic data. Each report includes a data currency section showing exact year ranges.
Read our full methodology →Data Sources
Every chart, table, and claim in this report traces back to a published federal statistical database. Each data point in the PDF shows its source so you can verify it against the original dataset.
- U.S. Census Bureau — County Business Patterns & Economic Census
- Bureau of Labor Statistics — QCEW
- Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)
- SEC EDGAR — 10-K filings(Standard tier)
Report Details
Industry Classification (NAICS)
Where this industry sits in the North American Industry Classification System.
Related Industries
Related Guides
Get verified average truck driver salary data from federal sources. Median Truck Driver Hourly Wage: $27.62/hr (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
About 3 million workers in five federal delivery industries. Couriers, freight trucking, last-mile delivery and USPS compared on jobs, growth and prices.
Get verified logistics industry trends data from federal sources. Total Transportation & Warehousing Employment: 6.5M+ (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
How to start a trucking company: carriers net 6.2% margins (IRS SOI), drivers earn $28.19/hour median (BLS OEWS). Authority, insurance, owner-operator math.
US scheduled airlines employ 487.7K. Capacity and demand, labor relations, fuel and fleet costs, and the 2026 outlook.