Title: Trucking Doesn’t Just Support Topeka’s Economy — It Is the Economy in Motion: Why Our Central Location Demands Aggressive Support for Logistics and Truck-Friendly Development

 By Henry McClure, MCRE, LLC – Topeka Real Estate Broker & Advocate for Putting Shawnee County First

In short, trucking doesn’t just support the economy — it is the economy in motion, delivering the goods that keep America running every single day. For a city like Topeka, positioned at the geographic heart of the United States along major corridors such as I-70, this truth is even more powerful. Trucking represents massive opportunity for jobs, sales tax revenue, infrastructure investment, and long-term growth if we embrace it.

The National Scale: Trucking Powers America

The numbers are staggering. According to the American Trucking Associations (primarily 2024 data, with trends holding into 2025-2026):

• Freight Volume: Trucks haul approximately 72.7% of U.S. domestic freight by weight, moving 11.27 billion tons of goods annually.
• Revenue: The industry generated around $906 billion in gross freight revenues for primary shipments. Broader estimates, including related logistics and economic activity, push the total impact well over $2 trillion.
• Employment: Trucking supports 8.4 million jobs across the economy (excluding self-employed), including 3.58 million professional truck drivers. It’s a sector dominated by small businesses and owner-operators.

These figures underscore trucking’s role as the backbone of supply chains for retail, manufacturing, agriculture, construction, energy, and more. Without reliable trucking, shelves go empty, factories idle, and prices spike. In a vast country like ours, trucks provide the flexibility that rail, water, or air simply can’t match for most shipments.

Projections for 2026 show moderate stabilization and potential growth amid recovery from recent downcycles, with ongoing needs for driver retention, infrastructure, and capacity. The industry’s foundational importance will only increase with e-commerce, nearshoring, and population/economic demands.

Topeka’s Strategic Position: Center of America

Topeka sits at a logistical sweet spot — smack in the middle of the U.S., with direct access to I-70 (east-west transcontinental route), US-75, I-470, I-335 (Kansas Turnpike), and strong BNSF rail connections. This central location means shorter hauls to major markets on all sides, lower fuel and time costs, and the ability to serve the Midwest, South, and beyond efficiently.

• Traffic Through Topeka: I-70 near downtown Topeka carries approximately 40,000 vehicles per day, with roughly 12% trucks (equating to thousands of trucks daily passing through or stopping in our area). Statewide, Kansas highways see massive volumes, with interstates like I-70 handling a significant share of national freight flows.
• Potential for More: With shovel-ready industrial sites (e.g., Harlan Industrial, Central Crossing), Foreign Trade Zone designations, and room for truck stops, fueling stations, distribution centers, and logistics parks, Topeka could capture far more of this traffic. Every additional truck stop, warehouse, or service facility multiplies economic impact through fuel sales, retail spending, jobs, and sales tax.

Kansas as a whole benefits from its crossroads status. Companies choose us for faster, cheaper distribution to a huge swath of the population. Topeka’s assets — available land, workforce, and infrastructure — position us perfectly to grow as a regional logistics hub.

Why This Matters for Topeka: Jobs, Revenue, and Growth

• Sales Tax Powerhouse: Truck stops, convenience stores, restaurants, and related services generate substantial sales tax without raising property taxes on residents. Fuel, food, repairs, and traveler spending add up quickly.
• Job Creation: Direct driving jobs, plus warehousing, maintenance, logistics coordination, and support services. Multiplier effects ripple through local suppliers, hotels, and retail.
• Infrastructure and Development: Supporting trucking means investing in “shovel-ready” sites, addressing drainage/zoning smartly, and approving projects that serve the industry (like modern fueling and convenience hubs off I-70).
• Competitive Edge: Neighboring areas are courting logistics business. Topeka must be “open for business” — streamlining approvals, mitigating concerns proactively (traffic, safety), and marketing our central advantage.

Recent missed opportunities, like hurdles with truck-friendly retail developments, highlight the need for stronger leadership focused on this sector. With millions spent annually on economic development efforts, prioritizing trucking and logistics delivers tangible returns.

Call to Action: Embrace Trucking as Our Economic Engine

Topeka has the location. We have the infrastructure foundations. What we need is consistent policy support: pro-growth zoning, infrastructure readiness, and visible promotion of our city as a trucking and logistics hub.

Let’s learn from the data and our central position. Approve practical, truck-supporting projects. Invest in sites that attract distribution and service facilities. Market Topeka aggressively to the industry.

Trucking isn’t just passing through — it can drive our future if we seize the opportunity. Topekans deserve leadership that puts this economic reality first.

What are your thoughts on growing our logistics sector? Share in the comments, and let’s push for policies that capitalize on Topeka’s heartland advantage.

Henry McClure is a licensed Kansas real estate broker with 45+ years of experience, founder of MCRE, LLC, and advocate for transparent, pro-growth policies in Shawnee County.