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

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#20. Alabama

- Value of freight: $6.2 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 0.7%

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#19. Maryland

- Value of freight: $7.4 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 0.9%

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#18. Missouri

- Value of freight: $8.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.0%

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#17. New Jersey

- Value of freight: $9.0 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.1%

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#16. Virginia

- Value of freight: $9.1 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.1%

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#15. West Virginia

- Value of freight: $10.5 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.3%

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#14. Wisconsin

- Value of freight: $11.0 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.3%

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#13. Florida

- Value of freight: $11.3 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.4%

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#12. North Carolina

- Value of freight: $11.7 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.4%

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#11. Georgia

- Value of freight: $12.5 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.5%

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#10. Tennessee

- Value of freight: $13.4 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.6%

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#9. New York

- Value of freight: $14.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 1.7%

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#8. California

- Value of freight: $18.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 2.2%

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#7. Texas

- Value of freight: $24.5 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 2.9%

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#6. Illinois

- Value of freight: $27.1 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 3.2%

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#5. Pennsylvania

- Value of freight: $39.6 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 4.7%

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#4. Kentucky

- Value of freight: $39.7 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 4.7%

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#3. Michigan

- Value of freight: $46.3 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 5.5%

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#2. Indiana

- Value of freight: $55.5 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 6.6%

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#1. Ohio

- Value of freight: $391.5 billion
- Share of domestic freight originating in Ohio: 46.7%

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.