Texas carrier population breakdown
Truck Graph indexes 55,376 carriers with Texas physical addresses. Of these, 55,376 hold active FMCSA operating authority. The average fleet size across Texas carriers is 13.9 power units, reflecting the state's heavy concentration of owner-operators: 30,411 Texas carriers operate a single truck. This owner-operator density is driven by Houston's port drayage market, the Permian Basin oilfield services sector, and DFW last-mile delivery demand.
Top Texas freight cities
The largest Texas freight markets by carrier count: Houston (20,009 carriers), Dallas (6,701 carriers), San Antonio (6,227 carriers), Fort Worth (4,426 carriers), Laredo (3,938 carriers). Houston's dominance reflects Port of Houston container drayage, the petrochemical corridor along the Ship Channel, and the Texas Medical Center supply chain. Dallas-Fort Worth serves as the primary distribution hub for the central United States. These cities combined account for the majority of Texas's carrier registrations.
Texas in the national context
Texas's 55,376 carriers represent a significant share of the 695,586 total carriers in Truck Graph's national database. The state's carrier density is driven by: geographic position as the primary NAFTA corridor (Laredo is the #1 US-Mexico truck crossing by volume), a massive energy sector requiring specialized hauling, and its role as a distribution hub serving the southern and central United States. Texas leads in both new authority grants and revocations — reflecting high market entry and high churn.
Equipment and specialization
Texas carriers span all 15 equipment types tracked by Truck Graph. The state's diverse economy drives specialization: flatbed and specialized hauling dominates West Texas (oilfield equipment, pipe, structural steel), refrigerated concentrates in the Rio Grande Valley (produce) and Panhandle (meat packing), tanker operations cluster around Houston's petrochemical facilities and the Midland-Odessa oil patch, and dry van is heaviest in the DFW distribution corridor.
Safety data for Texas carriers
Texas carriers appear frequently in Truck Graph's 5,250,000 inspection records due to the state's high commercial traffic volume and active enforcement presence. The state has multiple weigh stations and inspection facilities along I-35, I-10, I-20, and I-45. Texas carriers' OOS rates can be compared against the national averages: 14.5% for vehicles and 5.5% for drivers. Individual carrier safety data is available through Truck Graph's DOT Lookup tool.
Source: FMCSA compliance records. 695,586 carriers, 5,250,000 inspections, 967,983 insurance filings analyzed. View methodology
External references: TxDOT: Freight Planning · Port of Houston Statistics
Frequently asked questions
How many trucking companies are in Texas?
Truck Graph indexes 55,376 for-hire carriers with Texas physical addresses. Of these, 55,376 hold active FMCSA operating authority. This makes Texas the #1 state by carrier count in our database of 695,586 total carriers.
What's the average fleet size for Texas carriers?
The average across Texas carriers is 13.9 power units. However, 30,411 carriers operate a single truck — meaning the median is 1. A small number of large fleets pull the average up.
Which Texas city has the most carriers?
Houston (20,009 carriers), Dallas (6,701 carriers), San Antonio (6,227 carriers), Fort Worth (4,426 carriers), Laredo (3,938 carriers) — Houston leads due to Port of Houston drayage, petrochemical transport, and medical supply chain logistics.
How does Texas compare to other states?
Texas has 55,376 carriers out of 695,586 nationally — the largest state carrier population. California and Florida typically rank #2 and #3. Use Truck Graph's state directory to compare all 50 states.
Where can I find Texas carrier safety data?
Every Texas carrier profile on Truck Graph includes inspection history, OOS rates, crash records, and authority status. Use the DOT Lookup tool with any Texas carrier's DOT number, or browse the Texas state directory at /carriers/texas.