HaulTrucking Companies by Cargo Type
Every active U.S. motor carrier reports what it hauls. Across 2,197,714 active carriers, the FMCSA Company Census records 30 cargo-classification flags — from general freight to refrigerated food, tankers, chemicals and livestock. This page ranks them all, then compares the major ones on the structural facts no other directory publishes: how small the fleets run, how far they operate, and how much they overlap with hazmat.
The headline numbers
Cargo flags overlap — a refrigerated carrier may also haul general freight — so the shares below sum to more than 100%. They describe what each carrier is equipped and authorized to carry, the earliest public signal of how a fleet is specialized.
Every cargo type, ranked by active carriers
General freight dominates because it is the broadest flag; the specialized classes below it are where equipment, endorsements and pricing diverge. Showing the top 20 of 30 classifications.
How the major freight types compare
The same census that counts carriers also reveals how each segment is built. Here are the major haul types side by side — the share of carriers running small (1–6 truck) fleets, the share operating interstate, and the share that also carry a hazmat indicator. This cross-class comparison is unique to HaulReport.
Show data table
| Cargo type | Active carriers | Small fleet (1–6) | Interstate | Hazmat overlap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Materials Hauling | 329,802 | 87.8% | 29.8% | 7.2% |
| Agricultural & Grain Hauling | 176,782 | 91.6% | 37.2% | 5.2% |
| Log & Lumber Hauling | 167,397 | 89.2% | 30.7% | 7.9% |
| Auto Transport | 151,860 | 89.7% | 43% | 50.2% |
| Household Goods Movers | 72,717 | 84.4% | 31.5% | 4.8% |
| Refrigerated | 70,868 | 83.9% | 68.1% | 5% |
| Livestock Hauling | 63,824 | 93.2% | 39.3% | 5% |
| Tanker | 43,031 | 69.7% | 69.9% | 51.1% |
| Intermodal Container Trucking | 38,935 | 83.8% | 64.4% | 13.2% |
| Chemical Hauling | 20,304 | 69.5% | 70% | 54.2% |
Read it as a fingerprint: livestock and agricultural hauling are overwhelmingly small, local fleets; chemical and tanker work runs interstate with heavy hazmat overlap. Livestock Hauling is the most owner-operator-heavy of all, at 93.2% small fleets.
Explore a cargo type in depth
Each freight type below has its own page with a state-by-state map, fleet-size breakdown, interstate split and hazmat overlap.
- Building Materials Hauling Companies — 329,802 active carriers
- Agricultural & Grain Hauling Companies — 176,782 active carriers
- Log & Lumber Hauling Companies — 167,397 active carriers
- Auto Transport (Car Hauler) Companies — 151,860 active carriers
- Household Goods Movers (HHG Carriers) — 72,717 active carriers
- Refrigerated (Reefer) Trucking Companies — 70,868 active carriers
- Livestock Hauling Companies — 63,824 active carriers
- Tanker (Liquids & Gases) Trucking Companies — 43,031 active carriers
- Intermodal Container Trucking (Drayage) Companies — 38,935 active carriers
- Chemical Hauling Companies — 20,304 active carriers
Related data & guides
Put cargo type in context with the national trucking industry statistics (authority, fleet size and operation), the new trucking companies by state map, and our guide to vetting a carrier before you book.
Frequently asked questions
- How many cargo types does FMCSA track?
- The FMCSA Company Census records 30 cargo-classification flags, from general freight and refrigerated food to chemicals, livestock and intermodal containers. A single carrier can report carrying several, so the categories overlap — they describe what a carrier is authorized and equipped to haul, not a single exclusive bucket.
- Which cargo type has the most trucking companies?
- General freight leads with 879,806 active carriers (40% of all active carriers), because it is the broadest, most general flag. More specialized classes — tanker, chemical, livestock, intermodal — are smaller but require specialized equipment and endorsements.
- Is 'dump truck' or 'flatbed' a cargo type?
- No. Those are body/equipment types, and FMCSA does not record them as cargo classifications. The census captures what commodity a carrier hauls (building materials, construction, logs, etc.), not the trailer it uses. We only publish classes the federal data actually supports.
- What is the difference between these counts and operating authority?
- Cargo flags describe commodities; operating authority describes the legal right to haul for hire across state lines. A carrier can flag many cargo types but needs active authority and insurance on file to run interstate for hire. See our trucking industry statistics for the authority and insurance picture.