ARLINGTON, VA – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released its 2013 update to An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, which identifies trucking costs from 2008 through 2012.

The information was pulled directly from fleets’ financial and operational data, ATRI said, and it can best be used as a high-level benchmarking tool.

The analysis reveals that the average marginal cost per mile in 2012 was $1.63, a small drop from 2011’s $1.71 per mile.

After the recession, fuel prices declined sharply resulting in lower industry costs between 2008 and 2009, then began to rise steadily through 2010 and 2011. The drop in average operating costs in 2012 was, ATRI said, likely due to the weak econonmic recovery and softening freight conditions experienced in the second half of the year.

Fuel costs were higher in 2012 at 64.1 cents per mile compared to 59 cents in 2011, ATRI found. Driver wages, meanwhile, were slightly lower at 41.7 cents per mile compared to 46 cents in 2011.

Truck/trailer lease or purchase payments also dropped slightly, from 18.9 cents per mile to 17.4 cents.

“Although we have seen conditions improve since the Great Recession of several years ago, an uncertain economic future means we have to be ever diligent in watching costs,” said Phil Byrd, Sr., president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express and first vice chairman of the American Trucking Associations.

The Operational Costs of Trucking is one of the most requested ATRI reports. You can download a copy for yourself here.