Employment Outlook: Is There a Truck Driver Shortage?
The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 85 percent of the total value of US cargo is trucked, accounting for 66 percent of all freight by weight. Trucking-related occupations employ about 10 million people.
In Focus: Truck Driver Shortage is Ongoing
According to the US Department of Labor, the transportation industry in general is working now to develop a pipeline of younger workers to meet expanding demands for growth and to replace an aging population of transportation workers; about one in six truck drivers are over 55.
According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the median annual wage for a trucker that works for a private fleet is $73,000.
References:
- Truck drivers wanted. Pay: $73,000
- US Environmental Protection Agency: SmartWay Transport Partnership
- United States Department of Labor: High Growth Industry Profile: Transportation
- South Dakota Public Broadcasting: College Grads Face Dismal Job Market
- Wanted: 400,000 truck drivers