June 7, 2024--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Tractor trailers play an outsized role in the U.S. economy, responsible for delivering goods within states, between states, and also to and from Mexico and Canada. The proof in the importance of shipping by truck can be seen every day on the nation's roads and highways. Despite this large presence, shipping by truck in the U.S. has actually been declining. The Commercial Carrier Journal reports that truck shipments in the U.S. were down 21% in the first quarter of this year versus the corresponding period of 2023. Nevertheless, companies expand and equipment needs replacing, and U.S. trailer manufacturers remain hard at work with both grassroot construction and expansions of existing plants. Industrial Info is tracking more than 45 projects involving trailer-manufacturing in the U.S.