According to the Labor Department, 65% of the 17 billion tons of freight in the United States was moved by truck in 2017. Because of this, any shortage of drivers is a concern.
The American Trucking Association reported a shortage of 78,000 commercial drivers last year. A near historic high. They project by 2031 the shortage will double to over 160,000. Retirements, a gender imbalance in the workforce, record high wages, and lifestyle disadvantages are some of the reasons given for the shortage.
Retirements are a major concern for the trucking industry. Statistics from the Labor Department show people working as commercial truck drivers are 48-years-old on avereage. Three of four commercial drivers on the road are over 40. People aged 20 to 30 make up only 8% of drivers. The concern is when older drivers age into retirement, there will not be experienced truckers in the pipeline to replace them.
About 47% of the nation’s workforce are women. In commercial trucking, however, men outnumber women by more than 10 to one. The occupation tracking site Zippia.com found the imbalance is even greater in more industrial trucking jobs. Most women employed as commercial drivers do so with a class B license operating school buses where they make up more than 80% of drivers.
While data shows trucking jobs growing at an annual rate of 4%, the number has remained stable since the pandemic. In 2022, the annual growth rate has fallen almost every month. Wages are high. Commercial truckers average around $70,000 a year, but after a post-pandemic spike in growth, wages growth is now in the negative with the most recent data showing -2.6% change from last November 2021.
The American Trucking Association also cited lifestyle disadvantages. Truckers, especially those working in long-haul positions, are away from their families for long periods of time. This likely contributes to the low number of workers under 30 starting their careers in commercial driving.
