Parts and Labor Costs Dipped in Q4 2025 — But the Five-Year Trend Is Still Telling a Different Story

The quarterly decline is a floor, not a ceiling as the freight market recovers.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:10pm

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Parts and labor costs for heavy-duty truck maintenance declined 1.3% in Q4 2025 compared to Q3, following a 3.8% increase in the prior quarter. However, the five-year trend shows a 27.4% rise in combined parts and labor costs since 2020, with parts costs up 23.8% and labor costs up 33.5% over that period. The data suggests the quarterly dip was due to lower freight activity, not structural improvements, and that costs will likely rise again as the freight market recovers.

Why it matters

The maintenance cost data provides critical insights for small carriers and owner-operators on managing their operations, as parts costs have become the primary inflation driver, with tariffs on steel and aluminum contributing to the rise. Deferring maintenance can lead to compounding repair costs down the line, so understanding the long-term trends is key to planning budgets and cash flow.

The details

The Decisiv/TMC Parts and Labor Service Benchmark report, which tracks maintenance and repair cost data from over 7 million assets, showed that combined parts and labor costs declined 1.3% from Q3 to Q4 2025. This was driven by a 0.4% drop in parts costs and a 2.6% decline in labor costs. However, year-over-year the data tells a different story, with combined parts and labor costs up 2% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024. Parts costs were up 3.7% year-over-year, while labor costs fell 0.4%. The report attributes the quarterly dip to lower freight activity, as the ATA's Truck Tonnage Index fell 1.8% from Q3 to Q4 2025. But the longer-term trend is stark, with combined parts and labor costs up 27.4% since 2020, including a 23.8% rise in parts costs and a 33.5% increase in labor costs. The data also highlights the cab and sheet metal category as the largest cost driver, up 63.8% over the past six years, likely due to the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs.

  • The Decisiv/TMC Parts and Labor Service Benchmark report released its Q4 2025 findings in March 2026.
  • From Q3 to Q4 2025, combined parts and labor costs declined 1.3%.
  • The ATA's Truck Tonnage Index fell 1.8% from Q3 to Q4 2025.
  • Comparing Q4 2025 to Q4 2024, combined parts and labor costs rose 2%.
  • Since early 2020, combined parts and labor costs for heavy-duty truck maintenance have risen 27.4%.

The players

Decisiv

A company that provides the most comprehensive maintenance cost dataset in the commercial trucking industry, tracking data from over 7 million assets.

TMC (Technology and Maintenance Council)

An association that works with Decisiv on the Parts and Labor Service Benchmark report, which provides maintenance cost data for the commercial trucking industry.

ATA (American Trucking Associations)

The organization that publishes the Truck Tonnage Index, which measures freight activity and is used to help explain the quarterly maintenance cost trends.

ATRI (American Transportation Research Institute)

A research organization that publishes an annual report on operational costs in the trucking industry, which aligns with the findings from the Decisiv/TMC benchmark.

Tim Hardin

The CEO of Decisiv, who provided commentary on how tariffs and supply chain uncertainty are impacting parts costs.

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What they’re saying

“Typically what I've seen is it gets priced into the supply chain regardless of whether there's a physical impact or not.”

— Tim Hardin, CEO, Decisiv

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This data highlights the need for small carriers and owner-operators to closely manage their parts purchasing decisions and not defer maintenance, as the long-term cost trends show parts inflation driven by factors like tariffs is outpacing labor cost increases. Proactive maintenance planning is crucial to weathering the recovery in freight volumes ahead.