The trucking industry had a challenging year in 2023, but it had weathered the storm, moving more than 11 billion tons of freight during the year. This is according to the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) chief economist Bob Costello, who sums up the highlights of the ATA’s latest edition of its annual American Trucking Trends report in a news release.

The 11.4 billion tons is slightly down from the 11.46 billion tons transported in 2022. Despite the reduction in freight volume, the industry saw revenues rise to $987 billion, up from $940.8 billion the previous year.

U.S. trucking companies employed 8.5 million people in 2023, including 3.55 million professional drivers. The report also underscores the continued dominance of small businesses, with 95.5% of carriers operating 10 or fewer trucks, and 99.6% running fewer than 100 power units. Cross-border trade played a key role, with trucks responsible for moving 66.5% of surface trade between the U.S. and Canada and 84.5% across the Mexican border.