General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload Revenue Benchmarks
The average general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business in the United States generates $7.7M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 7,100 general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload businesses in the U.S., employing 296,344 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $73K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload Business Actually Do?
LTL (less-than-truckload) trucking — carriers consolidating multiple shipments per truck. FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, XPO, Estes.
Who buys: Businesses shipping smaller loads (100–10,000 lbs) that don't warrant a full truckload.
Average Revenue
$7.7M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$184K
per year
Total Businesses
7,100
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$385K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$73K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
2.1
firms per 100K people
How Much Do General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload Charge?
LTL (less than truckload) trucking — carriers consolidating shipments from multiple shippers on one truck.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
LTL rate (per hundred lbs) | $15–60 per CWT |
Typical LTL shipment (500–1,500 lbs) | $150–800 per shipment |
Accessorial fees (residential, liftgate, etc.) | $50–200 each |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $2.3M | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $2.7M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $462K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $231K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $1.6M | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $385K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
19.33%
openings/year
Closure Rate
19.34%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+1.21%
annual
Businesses Closed
16,550
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business do?
- LTL (less-than-truckload) trucking — carriers consolidating multiple shipments per truck. FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, XPO, Estes. Businesses shipping smaller loads (100–10,000 lbs) that don't warrant a full truckload.
- How much do general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload charge?
- LTL (less than truckload) trucking — carriers consolidating shipments from multiple shippers on one truck. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload make per year?
- The average general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business generates $7.7M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $385K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload businesses are there in the US?
- There are 7,100 general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 296,344 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business?
- Startup costs for a general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload industry?
- The average employee in the general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload industry earns $73K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 1.2%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 19.3% and 19.3% respectively.
Approximately 34% of general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload businesses survive their first 5 years. This is below the national average (~50%) — new entrants face elevated risk of failure. Ensure adequate capitalization. In 2023, 16,550 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload industry earns $73,194/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 12,651 establishments employing 258,925 people, the typical business has about 20 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The general freight trucking, long-distance, less than truckload industry has grown 120% since 2000 (from 38,743 to 85,244 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload revenue with other industries: