The American Transportation Research Institute is calling on for-hire motor carriers to participate in its 2026 Operational Costs of Trucking report, a widely used benchmarking resource and indicator of freight market conditions.
ATRI’s annual report is relied on by thousands of trucking executives, analysts and policymakers to measure changes in carrier cost structures and operating performance.
The study includes fleets of all sizes, from owner-operators to carriers operating more than 10,000 trucks.
Customized Benchmarking Reports
The report tracks detailed cost metrics such as driver pay, equipment and maintenance expenses, and insurance premiums. It also analyzes key performance indicators including non-revenue mileage, driver utilization, revenue per truck per week, and average mileage between breakdowns.
Carriers that participate receive a customized benchmarking report comparing their operational and cost data against anonymized peer fleets of similar size and sector. New for 2026, multi-year participants will receive year-over-year comparisons within their customized reports, allowing fleets to more directly evaluate performance trends over time.
“There are signs of growing opportunities for trucking in 2026, but only if fleets can maintain disciplined, nimble operations,” said Andrew Hadland, chief financial officer of 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.”
ATRI is asking carriers to submit their 2025 operational cost data by Friday, April 24, 2026. Data can be submitted online or via PDF, with both options available on ATRI’s website. A sample customized report and additional participation information are also available online.
ATRI said all submitted data remains confidential and is published only in aggregated, anonymized form.
The resulting report is expected to provide fleets and industry stakeholders with updated insight into cost pressures and operational trends as the industry works toward a potential market rebound in 2026.
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