Held says. These decisions can eventually impact a fleet’s reliability. To judge equipment quality, shippers can look at a fleet’s age, the carrier’s maintenance program, and its roadside out-of-service rate, among other metrics. A CLOSER LOOK AT UNDERRATED METRICS Some metrics haven’t quite captured the same level of attention as, for instance, on-time delivery, but they also provide important clues to carriers’ operations. These metrics include: • Workforce stability. Driver turnover is the most underrated number in trucking. “A carrier at 100% turnover is the equivalent of running a training company that happens to move freight,” Held says. Ultimately, the high turnover will impact service. • Decision latency. While many shippers measure whether a tender was accepted, few measure how long they waited for the answer, Held says. Two carriers can post
On-time delivery has become an industry non-negotiable, with many companies mandating strict compliance rates for supplier failures.
identical acceptance rates, yet one answers in seconds and the other in hours. Carriers should indicate the share of tenders they decide by policy within seconds, as well as their exception rate. • Rejection reason codes. Shippers should understand why a carrier didn’t take a load, whether it was capacity, price, timing, or some other factor. Structured reasons tend to
mean a system with a policy in place, Held says. • Accepted and then rejected. Because carriers typically accept loads based on planned capacity, an unanticipated mechanical or driver issue can mean an accepted load later gets bounced. Other times, a load might be rejected because a better- paying one came along. “Both look identical on a scorecard, so watch the pattern,” Held says. Random fall-offs suggest capacity changes, while fall- offs that cluster in tight markets and hot lanes could mean the carrier is prioritizing other loads. • The use of subcontracted carriers. A carrier that runs its own trucks and drivers has more control over its ability to actually cover a load, Henzel says. A carrier that often subcontracts shipments to other carriers has more flexibility, but also less certainty. Moreover, the freight ends up a step or two removed from the company the shipper thought it hired. Shippers should know the percentage of shipments the provider moves with its own equipment. EMERGING METRICS The set of transportation metrics continues to expand. More logistics managers are focusing on factors such as sustainability, volatility, and return on investment. Productivity may garner more interest over the next decade as well.
TRUCK EQUIPMENT CHARACTERISTICS
Equipment Type
Number of Units
Average Age (Years)
Truck-Tractors
182,248 133,670
3.6 8.8
28' Trailers 33' Trailers 45' Trailers 48' Trailers 53' Trailers Tank Trailer
366
15.8 8.3 6.6 7.0 17.5 6.0
1,740
23,406 177,368 29,527 13,834 30,966 120,064
Flatbed Trailer
Refrigerated Trailer Intermodal Trailers
4.1
10.7
Other Trailers
13,476
9.7
TOTAL TRAILERS
544,427
Source: ATRI; Federal Highway Administration
In 2025, the average truck age rose to 3.6 years for the first time since 2022, though it remains historically low due to delayed deliveries from the post-pandemic boom. Meanwhile, average trailer ages dropped because fleets operated fewer trailers and retired older units sooner.
September 2026 • Inbound Logistics 31
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