North America Long-haul Transport - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The north america long-haul transport market size is expected to increase from USD 478.98 billion in 2025 to USD 499.53 billion in 2026 and reach USD 604.47 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 3.89% over 2026-2031. This report is Segmented by End User Industry (Agriculture, Construction, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Wholesale and Retail Trade, and Others), Destination (Domestic and International), Truckload Specification (FTL and LTL), Containerization, Goods Configuration, Temperature Control, and Geography (United States, Canada, Mexico, and More). The Market Forecasts are in Value (USD).

North America Long-haul Transport Market Trends and Insights

E-commerce Parcel Volume Surge

United States online retail sales touched USD 1.14 trillion in 2024, driving parcel counts past 21 billion units and forcing carriers to restructure linehaul legs into relay runs that keep drivers closer to home. Integrated express players invested heavily in automated hubs capable of processing 1.2 million pieces per hour, raising service benchmarks for the broader North America long-haul transport market. Truckload fleets responded by embedding AI route-optimization tools that trimmed empty-mile ratios four points to 14% in early 2025. The mix shift toward smaller, more frequent shipments expanded LTL terminal traffic but added handling costs of USD 0.08 to USD 0.12 per pound. E-commerce share of total freight tonnage is projected to stabilize near 20% by 2028 as omnichannel models blend store pickups with home deliveries.

Manufacturing Reshoring and Near-Shoring

United States manufacturing construction outlays doubled to USD 228 billion in 2024, largely for semiconductor, battery, and pharmaceutical projects that shorten supply chains from 30-day ocean legs to three-day truck hauls. Mexico attracted USD 36 billion in foreign direct investment the same year, with plants in Nuevo León and Guanajuato funneling wire harnesses and battery modules northbound under USMCA content rules. Cross-border truck freight hit a record USD 47.9 billion in March 2025, underscoring resilient lane demand. Reshoring lifts shipment frequency and complexity, rewarding carriers that operate bonded yards and offer bundled drayage, warehousing, and linehaul services. Smaller brokers struggle to match this integrated suite, spurring consolidation in the North America long-haul transport market.

Acute Driver Shortage and Wage Inflation

Retirements accelerated a shortfall that reached 60,000 to 80,000 drivers in 2025, keeping turnover above 90% at large truckload fleets and pushing median pay to USD 62,000. Federal clearinghouse disqualifications removed capacity equal to 2.5% of the commercial-license pool by year-end 2024. Recruiting costs soared to as high as USD 12,000 per new hire, which squeezed smaller carriers’ margins. Autonomous truck trials logged 2.5 million commercial miles in 2024 yet await rulemaking on liability frameworks before scaling beyond pilots. As the labor gap persists, contract rates remain sticky, underpinning the North America long-haul transport market even in periods of soft freight demand.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Cross-Border Trade Growth under USMCA
• Cold-Chain Pharma and Biologics Expansion
• Volatile Diesel Prices

Segment Analysis

Manufacturing generated 32.30% of the North America long-haul transport market share in 2025, reflecting consistent automotive and machinery flows into integrated assembly corridors. Wholesale and Retail Trade leads growth at a 4.41% CAGR (2026-2031) as retailers redistribute inventory across regional fulfillment centers for faster final-mile execution. Agriculture continues to rely on bulk grain moves from Midwest elevators to Gulf export terminals, while construction traffic rose 6.8% on federally funded infrastructure work. Oil and Gas, Mining, and Quarrying softened 2.1% due to flat energy output and subdued natural-gas pricing, but fluid-grade tanker carriers partially offset weakness through chemical shipments tied to semiconductor fabrication. Other diversified verticals, including health care and consumer electronics, aligned with broader GDP expansions.

Reshoring has steadily increased intermediate-goods flows, prompting manufacturers to contract more frequent LTL runs that reduce in-process inventory. Safety audits under the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program sharpen carrier selection criteria, elevating well-scored fleets above price-only competitors. E-commerce retail imports continue to reinforce the wholesale segment’s momentum, especially on west-to-east, port-to-inland corridors. As fiscal support cools post-2026, construction freight is likely to normalize, yet the diversified base built by the wholesale channel keeps the North America long-haul transport market insulated from sector-specific shocks.

Domestic lanes comprised 62.51% of 2025 revenue, driven by dense manufacturing clusters and large consumption centers located within a 500-mile radius. International traffic is forecast to expand at a 4.47% CAGR (2026-2031) as USMCA compliance embeds more north-south component shipments. March 2025 cross-border freight tallied USD 47.9 billion, underlining sustained Mexico-United States flows that shorten lead times and cut inventory costs. Canadian traffic of USD 36.8 billion in the same month emphasized diversified bidirectional volumes of lumber, auto parts, and energy products.

Bonded warehousing near Laredo, El Paso, and Detroit allows integrated solutions that command premiums over plain linehaul. Currency-exchange exposure introduces complexity but offers margin plays for carriers with automated invoicing in multiple denominations. Domestic freight faces higher exposure to driver turnover, while customs bottlenecks remain the prime risk on international lanes. Harmonized electronic-logging-device standards across Mexico and Canada reduce border dwell times and improve asset turns, strengthening the North America long-haul transport market outlook for cross-border specialists.

Complete Report Scope:

• End User Industry
  • Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry
  • Construction
  • Manufacturing
  • Oil and Gas, Mining and Quarrying
  • Wholesale and Retail Trade
  • Others
• Destination
  • Domestic
  • International
• Truckload Specification
  • Full-Truck-Load (FTL)
  • Less than-Truck-Load (LTL)
• Containerization
  • Containerized
  • Non-Containerized
• Goods Configuration
  • Fluid Goods
  • Solid Goods
• Temperature Control
  • Non-Temperature Controlled
  • Temperature Controlled
• Country
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Rest of North America

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• A.P. Moller - Maersk
• ArcBest
• C.H. Robinson
• Canada Cartage
• CMA CGM Group (including CEVA Logistics)
• DHL Group
• DSV A/S (De Sammensluttede Vognmand af Air and Sea)
• FedEx
• J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.
• Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, Inc.
• Landstar System, Inc.
• Old Dominion Freight Line
• Penske Corporation
• Ryder System, Inc.
• Schneider National, Inc.
• Transportes Marva
• Traxion
• United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS)
• Werner Enterprises Inc.
• XPO, Inc.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support