Moving people and products across the globe
Located in the heart of the U.S., Illinois is one of the world's most-connected transportation, distribution and logistics (TDL) hubs, offering dynamic distribution via air, rail, road, and port. From major retailers to third-party logistics companies, Illinois is the epicenter of this flourishing industry due to its talented workforce and truly unmatched infrastructure.
Transportation & Logistics
Skilled Workforce
Illinois boasts the 5th largest TDL talent pipeline in the U.S. (and #1 in the Midwest), and metropolitan Chicago is home to the 2nd largest metro-area TDL workforce in the U.S. Ranked #3 nationally for wholesale trade employment concentration (#2 in the Midwest) and #7 for transportation and warehousing employment concentration (#2 in the Midwest), Illinois' workforce is both robust and highly skilled. Illinois' community college system (the 3rd largest in the U.S.) graduates 2.7K+ people annually with certificates related to TDL career opportunities, and 82K+ students complete TDL programs each year — training the workforce necessary for forward-thinking TDL companies.
Robust Infrastructure
Illinois’ status as a global TDL hub is fueled by its tremendous infrastructure. Our state is within a 4-hour flight of the entire North American market — O'Hare is the most-connected airport in the U.S. (and #9 in the world) — and the only state in the U.S. where all 6 Class I railroads meet in 2 locations. Illinois boasts the 3rd largest interstate highway system in the U.S. by mileage, and 83% of the continental U.S. population is within a 2-day truck drive. The "3rd coast" offers 1.1K miles of inland waterway, and 19 public port districts link to the Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico. Backed by the State in programming and policy, Rebuild Illinois allocates $33.2B directly to transportation infrastructure.
Exceptional Ecosystem
The state is home to 21.3K+ TDL companies, employing more than 346K+ individuals and contributing nearly $50B in economic output. Named a top-10 state for infrastructure by both CNBC's Top States for Business and Area Development's Top States for Doing Business 2024, it's no wonder logistics leaders and innovative startups alike choose Illinois (including United Airlines, Amazon, Uber Freight, ShipBob, Grainger, Hub Group, and project44). The state's digital connectivity, too, is exceptional: Chicago is #9 among all smart cities in the U.S., and Illinois is a top-10 state for cybersecurity, having received $1.4B in federal and state funding to expand high-speed internet access and reliability.
Notable Illinois Businesses
Notable Illinois Businesses
Top Illinois TDL employers include:
- United Airlines
- Amazon
- Hub Group
- Uber Freight
- ShipBob
- Grainger
Key Data
- #1 most-connected airport in the U.S. and top 10 in the world (Chicago O'Hare)
- Within a 4-hour flight of nearly the entire North American market
- Only state in the U.S. where all 6 Class I railroads meet in 2 locations
- 25% of all freight and 50% of all intermodal trains in the U.S. pass through Chicago
- #6 in the U.S. for infrastructure (CNBC's Top States for Business)
- Top-10 state for both logistics and infrastructure (Area Development's Top States for Doing Business)
- 5th largest TDL talent pipeline in the U.S. (#1 in the Midwest)
- Chicago has the largest inventory of big-box facility space (warehouse or distribution center of 200K+ sq. ft.) in North America (610M+ sq. ft.)
Transportation & Logistics
