Chicagoland: The Trucking Capital of America

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3 minutes to read      

Author: Sofija E. Jiotis 

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The root of trucking is movement: reaching towns, people, and businesses on an international scale. Its branches spread throughout the world, impacting the lives of billions. In the United States, however, its trunk lies squarely in one place, Chicagoland. From multimodal infrastructure to massive freight volume, Chicago, Illinois, has cemented itself as the trucking and freight Capital of the USA. So why is Chicago the ideal hub for trucking? 

Unmatched Multimodal Infrastructure- 

Chicago is the nexus point of rail, truck, air, and water systems, moving freight seamlessly across all four. Chicago is the only location in North America where six of the seven Class I railroads converge, enabling seamless cross-network freight exchange. Grounded freight takes flight through O'Hare International, America's 7th busiest freight airport.  

This strategic positioning extends to Chicago's dense highway grid—I-55, I-57, I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94—linking the city to over half of the U.S. population within a day's drive. Inland

waterways via the Port of Chicago and the Illinois-Mississippi Waterway offer vast maritime access for bulk shipments.  

Chicago's central location and highway access cement it as the nation's leading intermodal and drayage hub. The region supports roughly 1.1 billion square feet of freight-related space (the most in the nation), backed by 30,000 miles of roads, 3,600 miles of rail, and 100 miles of navigable waterways. The Chicagoland area experiences 25% of all freight rail traffic, 50% of all intermodal containers, and over 60% of all freight tonnage in the U.S.  

Sheer Volume-  

Each year, over 7.8 million shipping containers originate or terminate in the Chicago metropolitan area. Chicago's drayage network is the glue of its intermodal operations. Short-haul trucks transport containers between rail terminals within the metro area, resulting in an estimated 3,200 trips per day. This drayage system handles 379 million tons of freight and facilitates the transfer of more than 3 million railcars annually.  

Crosstown trucking is a process almost wholly unique to Chicago, facilitated by its key positioning amongst rail lines and highways. This dynamic freight network supports a colossal $610 billion metro GDP and sustains over 200,000 jobs in logistics and freight-related sectors. Over a single year, freight within the Chicagoland area moves over $3 trillion in goods.  

Beyond intermodal drayage, Chicago’s over-the-road and regional trucking operations are a major force in the nation's supply chain. Thousands of long-haul and last-mile carriers operate from the region, capitalizing on Chicagoland’s premiere location. Warehouses, fulfillment centers, and trucking terminals line the metro, empowering quick, high-volume, turnarounds. The sheer volume of cargo, jobs, and capital within the region serve to enforce Chicago's dominance in America's trucking industry.  

The Technological Evolution- 

With its superb positioning and drayage system, it's no wonder that Chicago leads the U.S. with more than 16,000 transportation, distribution, and logistics firms. Moreover, Union Pacific and CPKC have launched high-speed intermodal services, further expanding the quantity of goods shipped through and to the region. This dense concentration of operations highlights the need for evolving technology and regulations.  

Recent infrastructure legislation is enabling investments in digital freight monitoring, electric vehicle logistics hubs, and port modernization, all of which are vital to future growth and efficiency. This innovation incorporates Artificial Intelligence in yard management and predictive freight analytics.  

This technological demand is met by over 100 logistics tech startups, including Amous TMS. Amous helps minimize cost, forecast disruptions, and address labor shortages felt in the industry. By leveraging AI, Amous automates tedious processes and planning on a wide scale. Its 180+ integrations allow for a streamlined and custom application, furthering the operational flow of your business.  

The Future of Chicago Trucking-  

Chicago's logistics industry has reached heights previously unheard of, yet it continues to grow. Each day, innovations, volume, and employment rates climb. Intermodal volume alone is projected to hit 7.8 million containers before the end of 2025, up approximately 7.8% year-over-year. Innovations such as AI-based yard management and automation at logistics centers are helping reduce costs and improve operational efficiency across the region.  

However, despite significant infrastructure investments, legacy bottlenecks persist: particularly rail congestion, highway delays, and grade crossing conflicts. The $4.6 billion CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency) program aims to address these issues. The program's nearly 70 projects, flyovers, grade separations, and related corridors, are designed to modernize rail and highway transportation, unlocking the full capacity of the region's rail and truck networks. When wholly implemented, CREATE is expected to generate $31.5 billion in economic benefits to the area.   

As near-shoring trends accelerate and supply chains shift closer to home, Chicago's central location and multimodal infrastructure make it a natural hub for sustaining long-term growth in freight volumes. This blend of technological innovation and industrial density reinforces Chicago's position as the Trucking Capital of America, now and well into the future.  

Amous TMS 

Amous has entrenched itself as TMS for any logistics based company that is the central nervous system for logistical operations in Chicago and across North America. With a true, cloud-based software and an enterprise structure, companies with multiple business units and models can flex the system to their business needs. When it comes to searching for a solution that is truly multi-modal and handles the complexities of Chicago’s drayage, intermodal, and LTL market, Amous handles it all.