The U.S. Census Bureau has stated that its latest annual survey of truck transportation, courier and messenger, and warehousing and storage activity shows that revenues reached $266 billion in 2004, up from $246 billion the year before. Trucking garnered the largest year-over-year revenue increase.

In its “2004 Service Annual Survey: Truck Transportation, Couriers and Messengers, and Warehousing and Storage,” the Census Bureau reported that truck transportation revenues alone climbed 10.4% to $186 billion in 2004. Motor carrier revenues increased 10.5% to $175 billion and courier and messenger revenues expanded 4% to $62 billion.

General freight contributed to approximately two-thirds of all trucking revenue, with $125 billion in 2004. Trucks transporting specialized freight (requiring equipment such as flatbeds, tankers or refrigerated trailers) accounted for the remaining $61 billion in revenue, the Bureau said.

For-hire, local general freight trucking revenues grew 8% to $20 billion, with long-distance general freight revenues increasing 10.7% to $105 billion and revenue from hazardous materials shipments increasing 9.4% to $10 billion, it said.

The Census Bureau noted that its truck transportation survey excludes private carriers.