ARLINGTON, Va. — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is projecting significant growth for the trucking industry in the years ahead, according to its just released US Freight Transportation Forecast to 2022.

The forecast lays out the current state of the freight economy and examines the future, where it anticipates trucking will play an even bigger role in transportation than it already does today.

“The trucking industry continues to dominate the freight transportation industry in terms of both tonnage and revenue, comprising 67% of tonnage and 81% of revenue in 2010,” ATA chief economist Bob Costello wrote in this year’s forecast.

The report suggests US freight tonnage is expected to grow 24% by 2022 while revenue for the freight transportation industry will grow 66% during that same timeframe. Trucking’s share of that market will rise to 70% by 2022, the report suggests.

The report indicates rail’s overall share of tonnage will fall from 15.3% today to 14.6% in 2022, however intermodal tonnage will rise 6.6% a year between 2011 and 2016 and 5.5% annually through 2022.

Domestic waterborne transportation will show modest growth, the report indicates, growing 2% a year until 2016 and then 0.2% a year through 2022.

“At a time when our nation’s leaders are debating what our future transportation system should look like, the forecast is a tremendous resource,” Costello said. “The forecast can also help America’s business leaders as they plan what their future logistics plans and businesses will look like.”

The report is available for sale at www.atabusinesssolutions.com or by calling 866-821-3468.