Freight - Truck freight


On this page:

Performance measures for truck freight

Truck freight

Annual truck miles traveled are annual vehicle miles traveled by freight trucks on state highways. Trucks are categorized into three types: single-unit, double-unit, and triple-unit trucks based on the Federal Highway Administration's 13-bin vehicle classification.

Freight truck border crossings are defined as the number of freight trucks entering Washington state from Canada.

The Truck travel time reliability index (interstate) is the ratio of a longer truck travel time (95th percentile) to a "normal" truck travel time (50th percentile) on the interstate highway system. The lower the value of the index, the more reliable truck travel is.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and WSDOT Rail, Freight, and Ports Division.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and WSDOT Rail, Freight, and Ports Division.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics and WSDOT Rail, Freight, and Ports Division.

Multi-year trends

Annual truck miles traveled on state highways in Washington increased from 3.4 million miles in 2018 to 3.5 million in 2022. In 2020, the annual truck miles traveled decreased to 3.2 million, while the number of miles traveled by double-unit trucks and single-unit trucks also experienced decreases from 1.8 to 1.7 million miles and 1.4 to 1.2 million miles, respectively.

Between 2018 and 2022, most freight trucks entered Washington from Canada on the I-5 corridor at Blaine, with between 360,000 and 383,000 trucks each year. The entry point with the second-largest number of freight truck border crossings was on State Route 9 at Sumas, which had between 156,000 and 151,000 trucks entering each year. Over 80% of the freight trucks entering Washington between 2018-2022 did so at either Blaine or Sumas. In 2020, freight trucks entering from Canada experienced decreases at many entering points.

Between 2018 and 2022, Washington state's interstate truck travel time reliability index decreased 6.8%, from 1.61 in 2018 to 1.50 in 2022. The nine Metropolitan Planning Organizations for which the interstate truck time reliability index is calculated saw a wide variety of changes in this measure. The extremes of the range were the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council, which saw its index worsen by 21.1% from 1.66 in 2018 to 1.31 in 2022, and the Puget Sound Regional Council, which saw a 13.0% decrease from 2.62 in 2018 to 2.28 in 2022. In 2020, the truck travel time reliability index for all MPOs experienced decreases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted freight logistics.

Annual highlights

In 2022, 3.55 million truck miles were traveled on Washington highways—down 1.6% from 3.60 million in 2021. Of the 3.55 million truck miles, 1.37 million were traveled by single-unit trucks, 1.93 million by double-unit trucks, and 254,000 by triple-unit trucks.

In 2022, 621,055 freight trucks entered Washington from Canada—down 2.7% from 638,337 in 2021. More than 80% of the 638,337 trucks crossed the border at either Blaine or Sumas.

In 2022, Washington's statewide interstate truck travel time reliability index was 1.50—a 0.7% increase from 1.49 in 2021. For individual Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the truck travel time reliability index varied from 1.08 for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments to 2.28 for the Puget Sound Regional Council.

In 2021, 3.60 million truck miles were traveled on Washington highways—up 12.5% from 3.21 million in 2020. Of the 3.60 million truck miles, 1.38 million were traveled by single-unit trucks, 1.94 million by double-unit trucks, and 278,000 by triple-unit trucks.

In 2021, 638,337 freight trucks entered Washington from Canada—up 5.1% from 607,222 in 2020. More than 80% of the 638,337 trucks crossed the border at either Blaine or Sumas.

In 2021, Washington's statewide interstate truck travel time reliability index was 1.49—a 4.2% increase from 1.43 in 2020. For individual Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the truck travel time reliability index varied from 1.09 for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments to 2.2 for the Puget Sound Regional Council.

In 2020, 3.21 million truck miles were traveled on Washington state's highways—down 7.5% from 3.48 million in 2019. Of the 3.21 million truck miles, 1.24 million were traveled by single-unit trucks, 1.72 million were traveled by double-unit trucks, and 252,000 were traveled by triple-unit trucks.

In 2020, 607,222 freight trucks entered Washington from Canada—down 5.9% from 645,435 in 2019. More than 80% of the 607,222 trucks crossed the border at either Blaine or Sumas.

In 2020, Washington's statewide interstate truck travel time reliability index was 1.43—a 7.1% decrease from 1.54 in 2019. For individual Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the truck travel time reliability index varied from 1.08 for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments to 2.17 for the Puget Sound Regional Council.

In 2019, 3.48 million truck miles were traveled on Washington state's highways—up 1.5% from 3.43 million in 2018. Of the 3.43 million truck miles, 1.37 million were traveled by single-unit trucks, 1.84 million were traveled by double-unit trucks, and 271,000 were traveled by triple-unit trucks.

In 2019, 645,435 freight trucks entered Washington from Canada—down 1.52% from 655,402 in 2018. More than 80% of the 651,487 trucks crossed the border at either Blaine or Sumas.

In 2019, Washington's statewide interstate truck travel time reliability index was 1.54—a 4.3% improvement from 1.61 in 2018. For individual Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the truck travel time reliability index varied from 1.11 for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments to 2.39 for the Puget Sound Regional Council.

In 2018, 3.43 million truck miles were traveled on Washington state's highways—up 2.1% from 3.36 million in 2017. Of the 3.43 million truck miles, 1.34 million were traveled by single-unit trucks, 1.81 million were traveled by double-unit trucks, and 274,000 were traveled by triple-unit trucks.

In 2018, 655,402 freight trucks entered Washington from Canada—up 0.6% from 651,487 in 2017. More than 80% of the 651,487 trucks crossed the border at either Blaine or Sumas.

In 2018, Washington's statewide interstate truck travel time reliability index was 1.61—a 1.2% improvement from 1.63 in 2017. For individual Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the truck travel time reliability index varied from 1.11 for the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments to 2.62 for the Puget Sound Regional Council.

Top of page