Source: The Road Ahead � Truckers and U.S. Freight, America�s Commercial Transportation (ACT) Publications, http://www.actresearch.net/

Cost Structure of Trucking, United States, 2006

Among the most significant operating costs of trucking are rent and purchase, wages and fuel and maintenance. Jointly, they account for about 78% of all costs. There is very little flexibility in this cost structure, implying that fluctuations in energy prices cannot be mitigated well and impact directly on the profit margin, which is at start low (9%).