Stacker Studio

Where are all these trucks headed? The top destinations for Indiana freight.

Written by:
August 28, 2024
Vitpho // Shutterstock

This story originally appeared on Truck Parking Club and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Where are all these trucks headed? The top destinations for Indiana freight.

In many parts of the country, you can't drive on an interstate without spotting a semitruck. But have you ever wondered where they are hauling all that stuff?

Truck Parking Club used Bureau of Transportation Statistics data to identify the top 20 destinations of freight from Indiana as part of a broader national analysis. The analysis only includes domestic freight.

Most of the time, semis are headed somewhere within the same state. In all but one, the highest share of freight was delivered to other destinations within its own borders. The only exception was Rhode Island, which is the smallest U.S. state by area, leaving few possible in-state destinations for freight.

The average haul length has been decreasing for years as e-commerce—Amazon in particular—has normalized speedy and frequent deliveries. These days, regional warehouses and distribution centers are more widespread so trucks don't have to move goods as far to get them to local stores or individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this trend, causing severe supply-chain disruptions, panic buying, and driving up online purchasing.

Nationally, Texas and California are the most common domestic freight destinations. These two states are major economic centers of the U.S. as the most populous in the nation with the largest state gross domestic product. Texas and California each offer huge consumer markets, major production centers, and abundant trade with international markets, making them obvious destinations for freight from across the country.

Trucks are the most prevalent shipping method in the U.S. and most commonly transport goods including construction materials, gas and oil, food and agricultural products, and waste. Read on to see where semitrucks in Indiana are headed.

1 / 20
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock

#20. New Jersey

- Value of freight: $4.9 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 0.8%

2 / 20
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#19. Louisiana

- Value of freight: $4.9 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 0.8%

3 / 20
Canva

#18. Minnesota

- Value of freight: $5.4 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 0.9%

4 / 20
Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

#17. Alabama

- Value of freight: $5.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 0.9%

5 / 20
Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

#16. Iowa

- Value of freight: $8.3 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 1.4%

6 / 20
TommyBrison // Shutterstock

#15. Missouri

- Value of freight: $8.5 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 1.4%

7 / 20
Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

#14. New York

- Value of freight: $9.2 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 1.5%

8 / 20
Kevin Ruck // Shutterstock

#13. Tennessee

- Value of freight: $10.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 1.8%

9 / 20
ESB Professional // Shutterstock

#12. Pennsylvania

- Value of freight: $10.9 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 1.8%

10 / 20
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock

#11. Wisconsin

- Value of freight: $11.0 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 1.8%

11 / 20
Sharkshock // Shutterstock

#10. North Carolina

- Value of freight: $11.8 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 2.0%

12 / 20
Mia2you // Shutterstock

#9. Florida

- Value of freight: $13.2 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 2.2%

13 / 20
Marek Masik // Shutterstock

#8. California

- Value of freight: $13.3 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 2.2%

14 / 20
Canva

#7. Georgia

- Value of freight: $16.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 2.8%

15 / 20
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#6. Texas

- Value of freight: $23.1 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 3.9%

16 / 20
Rotorhead 30A Productions // Shutterstock

#5. Kentucky

- Value of freight: $23.1 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 3.9%

17 / 20
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#4. Michigan

- Value of freight: $38.3 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 6.4%

18 / 20
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#3. Illinois

- Value of freight: $44.0 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 7.4%

19 / 20
Canva

#2. Ohio

- Value of freight: $52.3 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 8.7%

20 / 20
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#1. Indiana

- Value of freight: $232.8 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Indiana: 38.9%

This story features data reporting and writing by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states and Washington D.C.

Trending Now