YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The region’s trucking and transportation industry is in many ways a barometer of the overall economy, as these companies haul products that serve a wide range of customers representing diverse commercial and industrial segments.

Those serving the manufacturing sector report that business remains strong, despite challenges such as higher fuel prices, new regulatory measures and a tightening pipeline of qualified drivers. At the same time, activity related to the small-business markets remains stagnant, as clients have reduced spending on expenses such as truck rentals.

“For us, the rental side of our business is a big indicator of the economy, and it’s been pretty flat,” says Scott Fleming, president of Aim Transportation Solutions, Girard. “Even last year it was pretty flat.”

Aim operates locations in 29 states and maintains approximately 12,000 trucks across 160 operations, Fleming says. The three core areas of its business include full service leasing, commercial truck rentals, and dedicated contract transportation services. The company also provides on-site and preventive maintenance for its clients, used truck sales, and logistics and freight management services.

“We do a lot of business with Main Street,” Fleming says, noting that the average client leases fleets that are relatively small – between one and five trucks. “Let’s put it this way, Main Street hasn’t been as strong as some other industries,” though he indicates there are signs of a slight rebound. 

Still, Fleming reports that Aim’s leasing business remains steady, while the rental market has been slow for more than two years. “We would usually pick up seasonally – around April through the summer – and then it would kind of slow down,” he says. “You just had that kind of seasonality, and we really didn’t have it this year.”

One industry in particular that has struggled is the food services sector, Fleming says. “One of our big pieces in food services is the refrigerated straight trucks,” he says. “On the rental side, utilization has been very low. That’s an indicator for us.”

Nevertheless, activity within other business segments is trending stronger, Fleming says. “We’re seeing AI and the infrastructure related to that picking up,” he says. 

The company also continues to expand its leasing footprint, Fleming says. In February, Aim acquired a leasing company in the Columbus market that added another 400 trucks to its portfolio. The acquisition was the result of a family-owned business whose owners were retiring and opted to sell the company.

“We continue to grow organically and through acquisitions, but it’s been much slower than it has in the past,” Fleming adds. “We’re still very strong,” he says. “We prepare ourselves for these ups and downs. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t have been able to purchase a company in Columbus.”

Meanwhile, the transportation industry overall faces a new set of challenges, just as the dust settled in the wake of the pandemic five years ago, Fleming said. The introduction of sweeping tariffs in 2025 – and now the war with Iran – has confounded different portions of the U.S. economy, specifically resulting in higher fuel prices. These factors have introduced more volatility in the market, exposing the economy to more drastic swings. 

“It swings so fast,” Fleming says. “We’re hoping that we see a gradual uptick.”

The company’s leasing division is growing at a normal pace, while business in its integrated division is exceeding average growth, mostly because of efforts by the federal government to crack down on foreign carriers that have entered the market.

In a scramble to fill the shortfall of qualified commercial drivers over the last decade – especially during the pandemic – the U.S. became a prime target for foreign freight carriers, some of which are accused of circumventing highway safety laws, such as forcing drivers to exceed allowed highway driving hours and siphoning driver’s pay through questionable lease contracts. 

“A lot of these unsafe carriers are leaving the market, so that’s tightening up capacity,” Fleming said. “As long as we get some stability and people who understand the rules, we’ll continue to keep climbing.”

The trucking industry continues to be a vital economic engine for the entire country, according to data provided by American Trucking Associations.

In 2024, carriers collected an estimated $906 billion in gross revenues through primary shipments, data show, while domestic shipments totaled 11.27 billion tons of goods. As of 2023, the trade group reports that there were 14.89 million single-unit (two-axle, six-tire, or larger) and combination trucks registered. Together, these trucks logged a total of 525.6 billion miles during that year, according to ATA.

The overwhelming majority of carriers across the United States are considered small operations. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, as of June 2025, there were nearly 580,000 active motor carriers in the country registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, or FMCSA, that own or lease at least one tractor.

Of that number, 91.5% of carriers own or lease fewer than 10 trucks, while 99.3% operate fewer than 100 trucks, data show.

In 2024, U.S. trucks transported 67% of the value of all surface trade between the U.S. and Canada, while trucks transported 85% of the value of all surface freight between the U.S. and Mexico. 

Also, the ATA reports that 8.4 million people are employed in positions related to the trucking industry in 2024, excluding the self-employed. Of that number, 3.58 million were drivers, a decrease of 0.8% from the previous year.

New Challenges

The federal government’s efforts to curb fraud across the trucking industry has helped those who play by the rules to gain market share, says Dave Eaborn, vice president of Eaborn Truck Service Inc., a regional carrier based in Pittsburgh. 

“It’s just made it that much busier,” he says. “We’ve picked up business, and I’m not sure if that’s because there’s a shortage of trucks and drivers now.”

Eaborn says he could easily hire more drivers, but it’s still difficult to find qualified employees. “It’s just a struggle just trying to find drivers. Everybody in the trucking business is having that problem.”

The company operates 13 tractor trailers, each with a dedicated driver. Much of Eaborn’s business is tied to hauling steel products between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. 

“We’ve also seen some of the construction business ramp up lately,” Eaborn says. “We’ve been hauling some concrete pipe for some construction jobs. It’s like the whole general area around here is staying relatively busy.” The trucking company covers a radius of approximately 150 miles.

Fuel prices remain the single biggest challenge for any transportation company at the moment, Eaborn says. 

Higher fuel prices means that Eaborn must also raise its fuel surcharge. “It’s an expense that we incur, and it’s hard for us to eat the fuel costs,” he says. 

Surcharges are determined on a sliding scale, Eaborn says. “Every Tuesday, the federal government puts out the new average for fuel for this region, and that’s what we go by.” As such, higher fuel prices mean higher surcharges for the customer, while lower fuel prices reduces the charge. Shipping rates remain the same, however. Adding to the cost are higher fuel taxes in Pennsylvania, regardless of where his drivers purchase the fuel, he says.

As of now, business appears to be moving along at a steady pace, Eaborn says. “It looks like everything’s going to keep on the upswing, but I’m sure it’s going to depend on the price of fuel and stuff like that.”

He relates just more than two months ago, diesel fuel stood at approximately $3.80 per gallon. 

“I passed a gas station on my way to work today, and I had to look twice,” Eaborn says “It said $6.89 a gallon.”

Pictured at top: Scott Fleming, president of Aim Transportation Solutions, Girard, says the transportation market is compromised by higher fuel prices while its core business serving the Main Street economy remains flat.