Commercial vehicle statistics describe several overlapping populations rather than one universal fleet. In the United States, FMCSA-regulated carriers reported 5,262,891 power units and 5,624,624 drivers in 2023, while FHWA separately counted 14,289,238 registered trucks in its 2022 classification.
Key Commercial Vehicle Statistics
The following figures summarize the scale, activity and safety record of commercial vehicles in the United States:
- 766,647 FMCSA-regulated carriers had a USDOT number in 2023 in the United States.
- 5,262,891 power units were reported by FMCSA-regulated carriers in 2023 in the United States.
- 5,624,624 total drivers were reported by FMCSA-regulated carriers in 2023 in the United States.
- 14,289,238 single-unit and combination trucks were registered in 2022 under the FHWA vehicle-registration classification in the United States.
- 331,272 million vehicle-miles were traveled by single-unit and combination trucks in 2022 on U.S. highways.
- 60,205 miles was the average distance traveled by a combination truck in 2022 in the United States.
- 3,294,031 million vehicle-miles were traveled by all U.S. motor vehicles in 2024, a broader population than commercial vehicles alone.
- Medium- and heavy-duty truck vehicle-miles traveled increased 84% from 1990 to 2023 according to the EPA inventory estimate for the United States.
- Medium- and heavy-duty truck CO2 emissions increased 78% from 1990 to 2023 in the EPA inventory estimate for the United States.
- The driver out-of-service rate was 6.4% in 2023 among U.S. large-truck and bus driver inspections.
- The vehicle out-of-service rate was 22.6% in 2023 among U.S. large-truck and bus vehicle inspections.
- 58,551 new-entrant safety audits were recorded in 2023 by FMCSA in the United States.
- The new-entrant safety-audit pass rate was 91.3% in 2023 in the FMCSA program.
- Large trucks and buses were involved in 5,476 fatal crashes in 2022 in the United States.
- 548,000 nonfatal crashes involving at least one large truck or bus were estimated for 2022 in the United States.
- 5,936 fatalities occurred in large-truck crashes in 2022 in the United States.
- California recorded 436 large-truck-and-bus fatalities in 2022, with 315,244 million VMT and a rate of 0.14 fatalities per 100 million VMT.
Contents
- Fleet scale, carriers and drivers
- Travel volume and emissions trends
- Inspection and out-of-service statistics
- Enforcement and safety-audit data
- Crash and fatality statistics
- State safety rates
Commercial Vehicle Statistics: Fleet Scale, Carriers and Drivers
FMCSA’s 2024 Pocket Guide reports a December 29, 2023 snapshot of the FMCSA-regulated carrier population. These counts cover regulated carriers with USDOT numbers and should not be treated as a census of every commercial vehicle or driver in the country.
- The United States had 766,647 active FMCSA-regulated carriers in 2023.
- Those carriers reported 5,262,891 power units in 2023.
- The same regulated population included 3,838,145 CDL drivers and 5,624,624 total drivers in 2023.
FHWA uses a different vehicle-registration framework. Its 2022 count of 14,289,238 registered single-unit 2-axle/6-tire-or-more and combination trucks is therefore not identical to FMCSA’s power-unit count.
| Measure | Period | U.S. value | Population or definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active regulated carriers | 2023 | 766,647 | FMCSA carriers with USDOT numbers |
| Power units | 2023 | 5,262,891 | FMCSA-regulated carriers |
| Registered trucks | 2022 | 14,289,238 | FHWA single-unit and combination classification |
Source: 2024 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics and Table VM-202 – Highway Statistics 2024.
Commercial Vehicle Travel Volume and Emissions Trends
FHWA reported 331,272 million vehicle-miles for its 2022 subtotal of single-unit and combination trucks. The subtotal is a truck-mile measure, not a count of unique vehicles.
- Combination trucks traveled 195,049 million vehicle-miles in 2022.
- Single-unit trucks traveled 136,224 million vehicle-miles in 2022.
- The average combination truck traveled 60,205 miles in 2022.
- Combination trucks traveled 61,652 million vehicle-miles on rural interstates and 33,364 million vehicle-miles on other rural arterials in 2022.
All-vehicle travel provides broader context but should not be substituted for commercial-vehicle travel. Total U.S. vehicle travel was 3,132,411 million vehicle-miles in 2021, 3,196,191 million in 2022, 3,246,817 million in 2023 and 3,294,031 million in 2024.
| Year | Total U.S. vehicle travel | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,132,411 million vehicle-miles | All motor vehicles |
| 2022 | 3,196,191 million vehicle-miles | All motor vehicles |
| 2023 | 3,246,817 million vehicle-miles | All motor vehicles |
| 2024 | 3,294,031 million vehicle-miles | All motor vehicles |
The EPA’s Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2023 estimates that medium- and heavy-duty truck VMT increased 84% from 1990 to 2023, while CO2 emissions increased 78% over the same period. These are inventory estimates that include changing travel volume; they do not establish that one technology or policy caused the change.
The EPA also estimated that light-duty trucks represented about 62.5% of new passenger-vehicle sales in model year 2023. Light-duty trucks are not the same population as medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks.
Sources: Table VM-202 – Highway Statistics 2024 and Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2023.
Commercial Vehicle Inspection and Out-of-Service Statistics
FMCSA recorded federal and state inspections of large trucks and buses in 2023. An out-of-service result is an inspection outcome, not a fleet-wide defect rate or a probability of crashing.
- Driver inspections totaled 2,909,709, including 185,640 with an out-of-service violation; the driver out-of-service rate was 6.4%.
- Vehicle inspections totaled 1,994,946, including 450,477 with an out-of-service violation; the vehicle out-of-service rate was 22.6%.
- Hazmat inspections totaled 174,620, including 6,992 with an out-of-service violation; the hazmat out-of-service rate was 4.0%.
The inspection-level mix was also recorded in the FMCSA snapshot:
| Inspection level | 2023 inspections | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Level I full | 839,638 | Large trucks and buses |
| Level II walk-around | 1,057,511 | Large trucks and buses |
| Level III driver-only | 1,011,089 | Large trucks and buses |
Source: 2024 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics.
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Investigations and Safety Audits
FMCSA recorded 12,329 carrier investigations in 2023, including 4,084 onsite comprehensive investigations. Investigation counts measure enforcement activity and are not a count of all carriers.
- New-entrant safety audits totaled 58,551 in 2023, and 91.3% passed.
- Very small carriers with 1–6 power units accounted for 6,999 investigations in 2023.
- Small carriers with 7–20 power units accounted for 3,160 investigations.
- Medium carriers with 21–100 power units accounted for 1,673 investigations.
- Large carriers with more than 100 power units accounted for 412 investigations.
FMCSA listed 32,490 carriers with a satisfactory safety rating in 2023. Only carriers receiving a compliance review or comprehensive onsite investigation can receive a safety rating, so this figure is not a rating for every regulated carrier.
Source: 2024 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics.
Commercial Vehicle Crash and Fatality Statistics
The 2022 FARS fatal-crash census counted large trucks as vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds and buses as vehicles with seats for at least nine people including the driver. Under those definitions, large trucks were involved in 5,279 fatal crashes and buses in 213 fatal crashes.
Together, large trucks and buses were involved in 5,476 fatal crashes, or 14.0% of the 39,221 fatal roadway crashes recorded in 2022. FARS vehicle classification changed beginning in 2016, including the reclassification of 329 light pickup trucks as large trucks, so comparisons with earlier periods require caution.
The weighted national CRSS sample estimated 548,000 nonfatal crashes involving at least one large truck or bus in 2022. That represented 9.30% of an estimated 5,892,000 nonfatal crashes; CRSS cannot provide state-level estimates.
- Large-truck crashes produced 5,936 fatalities in 2022, including 1,097 large-truck occupants.
- Passenger-car occupants accounted for 1,686 deaths in large-truck crashes in 2022.
- Pedestrians accounted for 533 deaths in large-truck crashes in 2022.
Source: 2024 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics.
Commercial Vehicle Safety Rates by State
FMCSA’s 2022 state table combines large-truck-and-bus fatalities with FHWA-based vehicle-miles traveled. The rate is fatalities per 100 million VMT, and small counts can make individual state rates volatile.
| State or district | Fatalities | VMT (million) | Rate per 100 million VMT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 156 | 71,631 | 0.22 |
| California | 436 | 315,244 | 0.14 |
| Florida | 368 | 227,757 | 0.16 |
| Montana | 41 | 13,514 | 0.30 |
| New Mexico | 91 | 26,831 | 0.34 |
| District of Columbia | 3 | 3,421 | 0.09 |
| Hawaii | 6 | 10,289 | 0.06 |
| Kansas | 82 | 31,334 | 0.26 |
| Massachusetts | 46 | 56,949 | 0.08 |
The table illustrates why counts and rates answer different questions: California recorded the highest fatality count among these entries, while New Mexico recorded the highest rate. Hawaii’s rate was based on six fatalities, and the District of Columbia’s rate on three, making both especially sensitive to small changes.
Source: 2024 Pocket Guide to Large Truck and Bus Statistics.