2024 Motor Freight Trends

The cost of doing business as a motor carrier has never been higher. ACT Research estimates that tightening federal and state-required emissions regulations, labor costs and other factors will cause medium- and heavy-duty vehicle costs to rise by between 12% and 14%.

However, in mid-2024, the biggest change coming is the push for “decarbonization” of an industry that was built on the diesel engine. Whether it’s a fully electric, a variety of diesel run on alternative fuels, hydrogen-powered or even battery-powered, the truck of 2035 is likely to be run on a completely different power grid than today’s traditional diesel fuel.

In this Special Digital Issue, we have curated stories that encapsulate the current state of U.S. motor freight services in an effort to help shippers understand the challenges their truckload, less-than-truckload, parcel and last-mile carriers now face as they aim to achieve service levels that match new cost and regulatory demands.