Soaring prices for diesel fuel, rising maintenance costs and higher wages for drivers pushed the price of operating a truck up 12.7% in 2021 to $1.855 per mile — the highest level on record — according to a report released Aug. 10 by the American Transportation Research Institute. The study determined that higher fuel prices were the biggest contributor to the gain, up 35.4% compared with 2020. Repair and maintenance costs spiked by 18.2% compared with 2020, and driver wages continued their upward trend of the past several years, rising 10.8% compared with 2020. On a cost-per-hour basis, costs increased to $74.65.

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