Highway Traffic Congestion Costs Trucking Industry Billions
A recent study by ATRI shows highway traffic congestion cost the trucking industry a staggering $108.8 billion in 2022.
According to the latest Cost of Congestion report from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), this sets a new record for congestion-related expenses in the trucking sector.
The Costs of Highway Traffic Congestion
The report, part of ATRI’s ongoing study of highway performance, reveals the significant impact of traffic delays on the trucking industry. Using data from various sources, including ATRI’s extensive truck GPS database and operational cost benchmarks, researchers measured how congestion slowed freight movement across major highways.
Even though the total hours of traffic delays were slightly lower in 2022 than in 2021—thanks to a slowdown in the freight market—the overall congestion cost still rose sharply. This was due to the increasing cost of operating a truck, which caused congestion expenses to jump by 15% compared to the previous year.

To put this into perspective, the time lost in traffic was equal to over 430,000 truck drivers sitting idle for an entire year. On average, each registered combination truck incurred about $7,588 in extra costs due to these delays.
Congestion Trends Over Time
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, congestion costs for the trucking industry had been rising steadily, hitting $87 billion in 2018. However, traffic eased in 2020 as lockdowns and closures led to fewer cars on the road. This brief relief ended as travel resumed in 2021, with congestion costs climbing past $94 billion. By 2022, the annual toll on the industry had surged to over $108 billion.
State and City Traffic Hotspots
ATRI’s study also broke down the impact of traffic delays by state and metropolitan area. Ten states accounted for over half of all congestion costs nationwide. Texas ($9.17 billion), California ($8.77 billion), and Florida ($8.44 billion) led the pack.
Among cities, New York topped the list with $6.68 billion, followed by Miami at $3.20 billion and Chicago at $3.14 billion.

In addition to lost time, the trucking industry burned through over 6.4 billion gallons of diesel fuel due to traffic jams in 2022. This wasted fuel added $32.1 billion to operating expenses.
“With costs rising for businesses and consumers, reducing traffic delays is more critical than ever,” said Frank Granieri, Chief Operating Officer of A. Duie Pyle’s Supply Chain Solutions. “Fixing these issues requires modern infrastructure and a commitment to building stronger, more efficient supply chains.”
For more information, you can view ATRI’s full report.
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