Thank You for Visiting Our Online Public Meeting
Welcome to the 2026 Statewide Freight Assessment Online Public Meeting. We’re excited to present the outline of our draft plan, which is being developed with public and stakeholder input.
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Welcome to the Online Public Meeting for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) 2026 Statewide Freight Assessment (SFA).
This Online Public Meeting will cover the following subjects:
Description of the SFA
Final Report Outline
Wyoming’s Freight Network
Commodity Flow
Website Survey Responses
Industry Trends and Freight-Related Topics
Project Selection Process
Draft Project List
The Wyoming Statewide Freight Assessment Survey was posted on the project website from February 19, 2026, through April 10, 2026. The survey collected feedback from respondents with the aim to identify local priorities, validate findings, and shape recommendations for improving Wyoming’s freight network.
107 total respondents
20 counties represented
According to respondents, the three most important areas of the freight network are:
Truck, trains, and air freight travel safety through Wyoming
Roads, bridges, and railroad crossings are kept in a state of good repair
The traveling public remains safe alongside freight vehicles
When asked to identify how safe respondents feel sharing the roadway with freight trucks on a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being unsafe and 10 very safe), the average reports score was:
4.7 average score
Survey takers noted that these things would make them feel safer when sharing the roadway with freight trucks:
More passing and/or climbing lanes
Add dedicated truck lanes
Longer acceleration/deceleration lanes for entering/exiting highways and interstates
When asked to share which scenarios they encounter often on the roadway, respondents shared that they encountered these scenarios most often:
Deteriorated pavement conditions
Inclement weather and road conditions
Slow moving trucks that impede my mobility
Throughout the development of the plan, the project team has been working closely with stakeholders and FAC members to identify key needs and opportunities. Key themes and takeaways from these meetings include:
In recent years, there has been a major shift in consumer buying behavior, with people preferring to shop online and have products delivered to their homes or businesses. This shift has increased the number of trucks operating in residential areas, both rural and urban.
During the global COVID-19 pandemic, businesses realized that supply chains were long, with products sourced from overseas locations, and that these supply chains were not resilient due to a limited number of suppliers. This led to increased logistics costs and longer freight movement times. Today, many businesses have relocated their production functions to the United States, Canada, and Mexico to receive products more quickly. Additionally, businesses already based in North America have shifted to suppliers within the region and aligned with multiple suppliers to improve resilience.
Today, there is a shortage of 60,000 to 80,000 commercial truck drivers in the United States. Many commercial truck drivers have left the industry due to challenging working conditions, including long work hours, time away from home, and adverse conditions such as roadway congestion, waiting at businesses, and weather-related issues. On average, truck drivers are older than the broader workforce. As a result, trucking firms are increasing driver pay to retain existing drivers and attract new ones.
Carriers and shippers are at various stages of testing and deploying different types of AI to improve productivity and efficiency.
Autonomous trucks are operating without drivers or with very limited driver involvement. The goal of these vehicles is to improve safety, increase efficiency, and achieve long-term cost reductions.
One recent trend focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of freight transportation, including effects on air quality, noise, and overall emissions. Key elements include extending product lifecycles, adopting advanced sustainable technologies, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing circular logistics practices such as recycling, repurposing, repairing, and reusing.
Due to the current freight driver shortage, carriers have increased driver pay over the past four years to retain drivers as well as attract new drivers. Fuel costs, primarily diesel costs, were consistent in 2025, but have risen steadily over time. Other costs have risen, such as maintenance, insurance, and the price of tolls. Combined, these operating costs have prompted carriers to increase their prices to transport goods and commodities.
Since 2015, transportation infrastructure costs have risen by over 42%. In some cases, this is due to inflation, increasing costs of materials, and labor shortages. More fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles are reducing fuel tax revenues, which means that fuel taxes have fallen far below the threshold needed to maintain the freight system. Many transportation infrastructure projects around the country have been postponed or cancelled due to a lack of funds.
The Statewide Freight Assessment (SFA) is part of a larger group of plans that guide long range planning efforts in Wyoming. The 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan is coming soon, and an update to the Statewide Rail Plan is currently in development. Both plans, along with the SFA, are updated every five years and include substantial public and stakeholder involved processes.
Find more information about these related plans at the websites linked below.
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this online meeting. We will be collecting comments and input through Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Throughout the next few months, the project team will develop a final report that follows Wyoming Department of Transportation’s guidance and aligns with the state’s freight vision.
If you would like to leave any final comments about this online meeting, please use the comment form at the top, right-hand corner.
