Top Transportation Revenue by Mode (2025 Charts)

Transport keeps the global economy moving, from the packages on your porch to the parts in every factory. If you want to spot growth, pricing power, and where demand flows next, it helps to know who earns the most. Short answer, as of October 2025, road freight and logistics lead global transportation revenue.

This post keeps it simple. You’ll see clear charts that compare revenue by mode, then a quick view of top companies in each category. Expect names you know, like Amazon Logistics, UPS, and FedEx, alongside global 3PL leaders such as DHL Supply Chain and Kuehne + Nagel.

Here’s what’s inside. First, a mode‑by‑mode snapshot, so you can see how road, air, sea, and public transit stack up. Next, a table of key players and where their revenue strength shows up. Finally, a brief look ahead, so you can gauge where margins and market share might shift in 2026.

We base this on current figures and industry reporting as of October 2025. You’ll get a fast read, charts for quick scanning, and just enough context to make smart comparisons. Whether you manage budgets, plan routes, or just love market data, this guide shows who’s really winning and why.

Watch a quick explainer to set the stage:

Top Revenue-Earning Modes of Transportation Worldwide

Four modes drive most transport revenue in 2025. Road leads on dollars earned, sea carries the most volume, air sells speed at a premium, and rail moves heavy flows on fixed corridors. Here is a quick visual that pairs with the charts in this post.

Bar chart, 2025 revenue (estimates)

• Road: $1.0T+

• Sea: $0.6T to $1.0T

• Air: $0.25T to $0.30T

• Rail: $0.20T to $0.30T

Key facts

• Road wins on frequency, density, and last-mile reach.

• Sea underpins trade by handling most crossborder goods.

• Air monetizes urgency and high-value cargo.

• Rail anchors heavy industry corridors in major regions.

Why Road Transport Tops the Revenue Charts

Road trucking dominates because it connects every factory, warehouse, store, and home. You can load today and deliver tomorrow, across metro and regional lanes, with unmatched flexibility. That constant flow adds up to over $1 trillion in annual revenue globally. In the U.S. and EU, truckload and less-than-truckload carriers keep domestic supply chains running at high frequency. Names like J.B. Hunt and Knight-Swift signal the scale and consistency of this market.

What drives the revenue:

• Dense lane networks and short cycle times

• E-commerce and B2B replenishment volume

• Last-mile and regional delivery coverage

Pie chart slice

• Road share of transport revenue: largest slice, roughly 40 to 50 percent in many markets.

For added context on market size and growth, see this road freight overview from Global Market Insights.

Sea Shipping's Massive Global Role

Ocean shipping is the backbone of trade, handling most international goods by volume and a major slice of revenue, estimated between $600 billion and $1 trillion in 2025. Container carriers and bulk operators set the pace. Companies like Maersk move the world’s manufactured goods, while bulk fleets move energy, ore, and grain at scale. Port-to-port costs remain the lowest per ton, which keeps sea central to long-haul flows.

Why it matters:

• Containerization supports retail, electronics, and autos

• Bulk shipping feeds energy and industry supply

• Global schedules balance cost, capacity, and reliability

Chart tip

• Add a simple line chart of ocean carrier revenue since 2019 to show the post-2021 spike and normalization through 2025.

Air and Rail: Valuable but Secondary Players

Air monetizes speed and reliability, landing $250 to $300 billion in revenue. Express integrators like FedEx price urgent, high-value goods. Rail earns $200 to $300 billion, with strong freight corridors in China, the EU, and North America. It shines on heavy loads, long distances, and stable schedules.

Quick compare table

Mode 2025 Revenue Best For Example Edge Air $250–$300B Urgent, high-value cargo Fastest door-to-door time Rail $200–$300B Heavy, long-haul inland Low unit cost, reliable slots

For a broader look at trucking trends that feed both air and rail intermodal flows, scan this industry roundup from Geotab.

Leading Transportation Companies by Revenue

Here is a quick view of the highest earners you will see in the main chart. These leaders span road, sea, air, and third‑party logistics, with clear strengths by mode.

Ranked revenue snapshot, 2025 estimates

Rank Company 2025 Revenue Primary Mode Why They Win 1 Amazon (Logistics ecosystem) $1.3T Multimodal Integrated air, road, and fulfillment tied to retail demand 2 DHL Billions 3PL, air, road Global reach, contract logistics, express 3 Maersk Several billions Sea, 3PL Ocean carrier scale, end‑to‑end logistics 4 Kuehne + Nagel Multiple billions Air, sea forwarding Strong forwarding network and contracts 5 FedEx Freight Mid to high billions LTL, air Express network plus LTL density 6 J.B. Hunt $4.1B Truckload, intermodal Contracted capacity, intermodal strength 7 Knight-Swift $3.9B Truckload, LTL Scale in TL and new LTL platform 8 GXO Mid billions 3PL Warehousing and tech-led operations

For source rankings and categories, see this industry list from Transport Topics, 2025 Top 100 Logistics and the latest Top 50 Trucking Companies of 2025.

Amazon's Logistics Empire

Amazon’s network spans air, road, and fulfillment, then ties it all to checkout. It operates dedicated air hubs, a large middle‑mile linehaul, and an army of DSP last‑mile routes. Fulfillment centers feed predictable volumes into these lanes, which drives high asset use and fast turns. The result is an integrated loop, from inbound containers to your doorstep. That flywheel powers the top spot on the main chart. Amazon’s logistics ecosystem is estimated at about $1.3 trillion in 2025, reflecting the flow it enables across retail, advertising, and third‑party sellers.

Trucking Giants: J.B. Hunt and Knight-Swift

Road freight stays hot because it touches every shipper. J.B. Hunt and Knight-Swift lead with scale, contracts, and network depth. J.B. Hunt posts about $4.1 billion, with strength in dedicated, intermodal, and brokerage. Knight-Swift runs about $3.9 billion, anchored in truckload, with LTL growth after platform moves. Both sell core truckload plus higher-margin services. LTL adds pricing power from density and service windows. When freight rebounds, these carriers turn volume into yield faster than smaller rivals.

Sea and Air Powerhouses: Maersk, FedEx, and More

Maersk dominates ocean networks, then moves inland with warehousing, e-commerce fulfillment, and customs. That sea-first footprint lowers unit cost at scale, which helps win large global bids. FedEx monetizes speed. Its express backbone supports premium freight and pairs with FedEx Freight for LTL density. Together they price urgency, reliability, and tracking.

Forwarders like DHL and Kuehne + Nagel knit air and sea into door‑to‑door service. They book capacity across carriers, smooth customs, and balance lanes by season. DHL adds express and contract logistics, which keeps customers in the network. Kuehne + Nagel brings deep carrier ties and visibility tools that reduce risk in tight markets. The shared edge is global reach, mode choice, and integrated services that hold up in peak season.

Key Insights and Future Trends in Transportation Revenue

The next 12 months reward networks that combine speed, data, and cost control. Road and sea still set the pace on revenue, with air and rail adding premium value in the right lanes. Pricing power follows density, visibility, and contract mix. Companies that stitch modes together win the margin race.

Why Road and Sea Stay on Top

Road carries short cycles, last mile reach, and e-commerce. Sea anchors long-haul trade at the lowest unit cost. Both benefit from data-driven planning and contract stability.

• Tech integration: TMS, AI routing, and real-time tracking push higher asset use.

• E-commerce: Small, frequent shipments keep trucks and vans in motion.

• Trade policy: Freight shifts to nearshoring corridors, but ocean volumes remain strong on Asia to North America and Europe lanes.

For near-term trucking signals, this industry view from ACT Research on the 2025 trucking cycle is useful for timing rate turns.

Sustainability and Automation Move from Pilots to Scale

Shippers want lower emissions and reliable ETAs. Carriers respond with electrified urban fleets, optimized loads, and automation in yards and hubs.

• Low-emission fleets gain share in dense cities where charging fits short routes.

• Autonomous and assisted ops reduce idle time and improve safety.

• Network design trims empty miles with smarter consolidation.

Expect steady capex, not flashy rollouts. Efficiency wins contracts before mandates do.

Post-2025 Supply Chain Shifts

Nearshoring adds regional road and intermodal volume. Ports invest in digitized gates and faster turn times. Forwarders expand end-to-end service, which locks in stickier revenue. A broader outlook is covered in Harris Williams’ 2025 transportation and logistics view.

Simple Revenue Direction, 2026 Outlook

Use this as a quick guide for plans and budgets.

Mode Direction Driver Road Up E-commerce density, regional manufacturing Sea Up Stable trade lanes, port productivity Air Flat to modest up High-value goods, capacity discipline Rail Flat to modest up Heavy industry, intermodal balance

What to Do Next

• Prioritize dense lanes and contracted volumes for steadier yield.

• Fund visibility, load planning, and dock automation before chasing new modes.

• For investors, prefer operators with balanced mode exposure and data-led ops, since they convert volume swings into margin faster.

Conclusion

Road freight holds the revenue crown, sea carries the world’s trade, air sells speed at a premium, and rail powers heavy inland flows. The charts above make that split easy to see in seconds, so you can compare modes and plan with confidence.

On the company side, Amazon’s logistics engine sits on top, then come DHL, Maersk, Kuehne + Nagel, FedEx, J.B. Hunt, Knight-Swift, and GXO. Each wins in different lanes, but the pattern is clear, dense networks and smart ops drive outsized earnings.

Use the visuals to spot where money moves now, then map your next steps. Share your take in the comments, explore career paths across these modes, or keep an eye on industry news to track rate turns and capacity shifts.

Thanks for reading. If the charts helped, pass this along to your team. The right snapshot at the right time can shape better budgets, bids, and bets.