Indiana, the Hoosier State is the 7th largest in the trucking industry, as claimed by the Diesel Technology Forum. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), a transportation research leader and part of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), gives the information about how the trucking industry relates to Indiana’s economy:

Trucking Drives the Economy

Employment: In 2011, Indiana provided one out of 13 in the state which was 179,290 jobs in the trucking industry. Indiana paid the total wages of the trucking industry in 2011 which exceeded $7.7 billion with an average annual salary for the trucking industry of $42,784. In May 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the truck drivers, heavy, tractor-trailer and light, delivery drivers, held 66,070 jobs with an annual salary of $35,610.

Small Business Emphasis: In 2012, over 13,700 small, locally owned trucking companies located in Indiana and are served by large and small supporting businesses.

Transportation of Essential Products: In Indiana, over 80% of communities depends on trucks to transport 80% of total manufactured tonnage or 690,058 tons per day.

Trucking Pays the Freight

As an Industry: In 2009, Indiana paid approximately $875 million for the trucking industry in federal and state roadway taxes. Despite of trucks travelled only 16% of vehicle miles in the state, the industry paid 44% of taxes owed by Indiana motorists.

Individual Companies: A five axle vehicle with semitrailer combination paid $6,118 for state highway use taxes in January 2013, in addition to $8,906 in federal highway use taxes which were over the normal taxes paid by Indiana businesses.

Roadway Use: In 2008, Indiana had 95,613 miles of public roads over which motorists traveled for 71 billion miles and trucks for 11 billion miles.

* Manufactured tonnage data given by IHS Global Insight