After 9-11 insurance rates on Independent Truck Drivers and smaller trucking companies showed an average increase of over 30%. Larger trucking companies are generally self insured, however incessant lawsuits have also hurt them and caused higher self insurance funds causing decreased earnings and thus higher over all shipping rates to the consumer.

Insurance costs in trucking passed onto consumers and vendors; and after 9-11 there have been many other reasons for high insurance on the businesses, many smaller trucking companies are really hurt by this; and regulations and fuel costs are tough also with increased competition from large super consolidated trucking companies. Trucking will have to find new and innovative ways to improve efficiencies to continue. One thing which is becoming more typical is the piggy back on the flat bed rail car approach, where the trailer is delivered across the country and the tractor hooks up to it and takes it to it