The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released the 2026 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, its flagship benchmarking report. The industry-average cost to operate a truck in 2025 was $2.336 per mile, 3.4 percent higher than the previous year and the highest per-mile cost in the report’s history. Excluding fuel, costs rose by 4.2 percent to $1.854 per mile.
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today called on motor carriers to participate in its Safety Impacts of In-Cab Monitoring research, which will assess how driver-facing cameras (DFCs) can positively impact safety and operational metrics.
Fleets are increasingly adopting in-cab monitoring systems alongside other core safety technologies. In response, ATRI conducted prior research that examined driver perspectives of these systems, with a specific focus on DFCs.
This new study builds upon that work, collecting before and after safety metrics to identify any statistical relationships between deployment of in-cab monitoring systems and improvements in safety outcomes. The research will also map specific carrier and driver strategies for managing in-cab data that improve safety outcomes.
Following the announcement of ATRI President Rebecca Brewster’s retirement in early 2027, the ATRI Board of Directors today launched its
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today released new research detailing the rising costs of commercial auto liability insurance in the trucking industry and the risk management strategies that motor carriers use to mitigate these costs.
With federal law prohibiting the use of foreign B-1 visa-holding truck drivers from engaging in point-to-point service while operating in the U.S., ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee identified research to assess the scale and impact of cabotage activities in the U.S. as a top priority.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2026 Contact: Alex Leslie (651) 641-6162 ALeslie@Trucking.org Washington, DC – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI)
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has been engaged in critical transportation studies and operational tests since 1954. ATRI is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Sacramento.
ATRI’s primary mission is to conduct transportation research, with an emphasis on the trucking industry’s essential role in a safe, efficient and viable transportation system. ATRI’s research focus areas include: Congestion and Mobility; Economic Analysis; Safety and Security; Technology and Operations; Environment; and Transportation Infrastructure.
ATRI’s extensive experience covers a broad range of commercial vehicle operations including leadership and/or participation in numerous national freight analyses, technology research initiatives and field operational tests.
ATRI presently manages the U.S. DOT’s Freight Mobility Program, and has provided freight mobility and performance measures technical assistance to 31 state DOTs and 11 of the 15 largest MPOs in the U.S. ATRI has received top research awards from ITS America, TIDA, University of Minnesota and the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
