The American Transportation Research Institute has opened participation for its 2026 Operational Costs of Trucking annual report, an industry resource that tracks how expenses and performance metrics are shifting year over year. The report is designed to help operators better understand cost pressures, efficiency trends, and broader market conditions.

The data collected will reflect full-year 2025 operations and will be used to establish anonymized cost averages and performance benchmarks across different fleet sizes and operating models.

Why Cost Data Matters Heading Into 2026

As market conditions evolve, understanding cost structure has become increasingly critical for organizations balancing labor, equipment, insurance, and utilization pressures. One carrier executive participating in the study highlighted how the report supports operational planning during uncertain economic cycles.

“There are signs of growing opportunities for trucking in 2026, but only if fleets can maintain disciplined, nimble operations,” said Andrew Hadland, CFO, Hirschbach Motor Lines. “ATRI’s Operational Costs of Trucking and the customized report we receive as participants are important inputs for ensuring healthy performance in our costs and operations despite economic headwinds.”

The annual study has become a planning reference point for organizations evaluating where expenses are rising, where efficiencies can be gained, and how internal performance compares to peers.

What the Operational Costs of Trucking Report Measures

According to ATRI, the report is used each year by thousands of industry decision-makers as a high-level indicator of freight market conditions and cost trends.

“ATRI’s Operational Costs of Trucking is trusted by thousands of industry decisionmakers every year as a key barometer of freight market conditions and is the leading public benchmarking tool for motor carriers of all sectors, from owner-operators to 10,000+ truck fleets,” ATRI said.

The report analyzes a wide range of financial and operational data points, including:

• Driver compensation
• Equipment and maintenance expenses
• Insurance premiums
• Non-revenue mileage
• Driver utilization
• Mileage between breakdowns
• Revenue per truck per week

These metrics allow participants to assess both cost control and operational effectiveness within a broader industry context.

What Participants Receive in Return

Organizations that submit data receive a customized benchmarking report comparing their costs and performance against an anonymized peer group of similar size and sector.

New for 2026, ATRI will also provide multi-year participants with year-over-year comparisons in their customized reports. This added feature allows organizations to more directly evaluate trends over time rather than relying solely on single-year snapshots.

All submitted data remains confidential and is published only in aggregated, anonymized averages.

How and When to Participate

For-hire motor carriers are invited to participate by April 24. Data for the 2025 calendar year can be submitted online or by PDF. Sample customized reports and additional participation details are available here.

All submitted data is kept confidential and is published only in anonymized averages.

To read the previous Operational Costs of Trucking report, click here.

Source: The Trucker

The post ATRI Opens 2026 Data Collection for Annual Operational Cost Benchmarking Report appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

The Calm Before a Freight Storm

Right now, trucking feels stuck in neutral. Freight demand is weak, spot rates have cooled, and both carriers and brokers are under strain. Many in the industry describe this moment as the calm before the storm, with indicators pointing toward a major correction that could rival the market chaos of the COVID years.

The warning is clear: if 600,000 drivers leave the market, capacity will tighten quickly and spot rates could skyrocket. Unlike during the pandemic, there will be no surge of new immigrant drivers to fill the gap. That relief valve, once supported by open immigration policies, is now closed. Carriers will have to compete harder for qualified drivers through better pay, sign-on bonuses, and improved working conditions.

What’s Fueling the Freight Downturn

Freight volumes are down 18 percent year over year, hitting carriers of every size. For freight brokers, the challenge is even tougher. With fewer loads to move, margins have evaporated. Some are stuck with contract rates signed too low to stay profitable, forcing them to compete against asset-based carriers while losing money on every run.

Small fleets are feeling the squeeze most. Many have relied on non-domiciled CDL drivers, but new federal regulations around English Language Proficiency are cutting off that supply. On top of that, fraud in load boards and verification systems has exploded. Scammers have found ways to manipulate tools like Highway and RMIS, forcing brokers to be more cautious.

That means even legitimate carriers can be flagged by mistake. Once that happens, they can be locked out of most brokerage freight entirely, which can be a death blow for smaller operations already struggling to stay afloat.

How New Rules Could Wipe Out 600,000 Drivers

This expected capacity purge ties directly to federal regulatory changes and immigration enforcement already underway. According to research from J.B. Hunt, new rules for non-domiciled CDL holders and English Language Proficiency requirements could remove between 214,000 and 437,000 drivers, roughly 5 to 12 percent of the U.S. driver pool over the next few years.

On September 26, 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an emergency ruling that restricts the issuance and renewal of non-domiciled CDLs. Officials estimate that 97 percent of the 200,000 drivers who currently hold those licenses will not meet the new standards and will likely exit the industry within three years. That alone represents 5 percent of all registered CDLs in the country.

Stricter enforcement of English Language Proficiency standards has already led to 23,000 violations, including 5,000 out-of-service orders. Analyst Avery Vise projects that this enforcement could sideline about 20,000 drivers each year.

When combined with limits on undocumented drivers and new hiring restrictions, transport economist Noël Perry estimates that more than 600,000 drivers, about 17 percent of the active workforce, could be removed from trucking.

Carriers that rely heavily on immigrant labor or those unable to comply with the new regulations may not survive this purge.

The Economic Ripple Effect

These rule changes, combined with a long freight recession, are creating a perfect storm for widespread bankruptcies. Both carriers and brokers are tightening budgets and consolidating operations as the industry braces for a market reset.

The shakeout is expected to favor larger, well-capitalized carriers who can handle the new compliance demands and stay profitable through the downturn. Smaller carriers that grew quickly during the post-COVID freight boom may not have the financial cushion to adapt.

As capacity tightens, driver pay is likely to rise. Carriers will need to offer stronger incentives to attract qualified drivers from a shrinking talent pool. The shift could finally bring the market back to a more balanced place where supply and demand set the rates naturally instead of desperation driving them down.

What Comes Next

The road ahead will be rough, but it could lead to a healthier trucking market. Analysts predict that after the purge, spot rates will rise again, contract rates will stabilize, and carriers that survive will see more consistent freight and fairer pricing.

The exact timing of this recovery is uncertain, but the direction is clear. Shippers should prepare for higher rates and tighter capacity, while carriers who manage to weather the storm will be well-positioned when freight rebounds.

As one industry expert put it, “If volumes pop—which doesn’t exist right now—hold on to your hat. It’s going to be one of the best freight markets that carriers have seen in some time.”

It may take time and patience to reach that point, but for those who make it through, the rewards could be worth the wait.

Source: FREIGHTWAVES

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