- August 5, 2022
According to the details given by the American Trucking Associations, The United States requires more than 80,000 truck drivers. The trucks and the truckers handle more than 72% of the freight in the US. A vast percentage of the consumers are reliant on these drivers.
Increasing demand for truck drivers in the US:
The demand for truck drivers is extremely high in the United States and is also a tough job to fill. The trucking companies are pushing to fill thousands of open positions to help the consumer packages deliver on time.
Job as a trucker demands drivers to travel faraway places away from their families and work during odd hours of the day. The trucking companies are raising the pay by 33%, ensuring drivers with one year of experience could earn a six-figure salary.
In the new recruitment method, we can expect more drivers to be available to deliver the packages on time. The shipments will spend less time at the ports, waiting for truckers.
The number of truck drivers required in the USA:
According to sources, The United States requires more than 3.5 million truck drivers. This has made trucking a popular occupation in the US. Though there is an impressive percentage of truckers in the total American workforce, this number is still not satisfactory. According to reports, by the American Trucking Association, the trucking industry requires 1.1 million young drivers by the next decade. Or it requires about 110,000 drivers in a year, to keep up with the current demands of the industry.
Why does the US need more truck drivers?
Apart from the 3.5 million truckers in the United States, the industry has more than 8 million people (about half the population of New York) involved in the trucking industry. Truck drivers are in high demand, and the trucking companies look forward to filling the job fast.
The main contributory reason for this high demand for truckers is the shortage in the workforce. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average age of professional truck drivers is 55 years. This is ten years lesser than the average age of the workforce in similar industries like construction and manufacturing. Thus the US trucking industry requires more workforce.
There is also a significant lack of female truckers in the US. The trucking lifestyle is challenging, and thus most people do not opt for this job. Thus, the industry is suffering a significant shortage of truck drivers.
Bottom Line:
The trucking industry drives the economy and forms an inseparable bond with it. It is an important reason for the popularity of trucking in the US.
The truck drivers are the first people to represent the country’s economic state. It replicates the confidence of the consumers.
If their confidence is high, the demand for the goods they buy will also be high. Also, the trucking business comprises small business owners, as 90% of the carriers operate with six or fewer trucks. Thus, the growth of the trucking business signals overall economic growth.
