Skip to Content

How Many Americans are Truck Drivers?

The trucking industry has some challenges, including high turnover rates, long hours, and backed-up loading and unloading locations. However, truckers are indispensable to American business. In fact, 73% of the country’s freight is shipped by truck. Without them, our grocery stores would run out of almost all goods within three days.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1.4 million Americans held a commercial driver’s license as of October. While that figure represents a slight decrease from October of last year, it is 16% higher than a decade ago. In addition, the trucking industry is growing faster than the overall nonfarm labor force, which was down 2% in October and down 12% over the past decade.

The shortage of truckers has been blamed for supply chain problems during the holiday season. While truckers make more money than most workers in the country, they do not have access to health insurance and are less likely to have family insurance. In fact, about 15% of truckers are uninsured, compared to ten percent of all other workers. In addition, almost half of truckers work more than 40 hours a week, compared to only 25% of general laborers. As a result, they are often burned out early and often.

How Many Truck Driver are in the US?

The average age of a professional truck driver is 55 years old, which is higher than the average age of other industries. As a result, more drivers are leaving the industry than entering it. However, new drivers are able to find steady, consistent pay through a weekly guarantee pay program. In addition, paid CDL training is available to new drivers, and some companies even offer tuition reimbursement. But while the current unemployment rate in the trucking industry is low, more drivers are needed to fill the growing labor shortage in the country.

Trucking is an integral part of the US economy. The country is expected to import $2.8 trillion in goods by 2021, and this will require the services of 1.8 million truck drivers. These drivers represent the 14th most prevalent occupation in the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of truckers in each state is roughly equal to its population, and the total number of truckers in each state is 1.8 million.

READ ALSO:  How Much to Buy a Truck?

How Many Truck Drivers are There in the US 2021?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that there were 811,800 truck drivers in the US in 2015. That is up 21 percent from 2010. Another website, Trucking Job Hub, states that there will be 1.7 million professional truck drivers in the US in 2021. However, this number may be misleading because there are conflicting statistics on the number of drivers employed. There have been close to a million new commercial truck driver jobs in the last six years, according to Business Insider.

The transportation industry plays an integral role in the economy of America, and truck drivers are responsible for transporting almost everything that we need. According to recent figures, over 70% of the items we use are transported on American highways. This includes everything from food to fuel to healthcare supplies. Yet, this industry is facing a driver shortage, which is a significant problem for the country.

Truck driving is a challenging profession. It requires drivers to be able to drive in adverse weather conditions, and they must be able to operate a truck on rough roads. Some of these drives can take several hours, and drivers must remain alert all the time.

How Many Truck Drivers are There in the US 2022?

The trucking industry is an important part of the US economy, with nearly every industry dependent on the transport of goods. Nearly 70% of what we consume is transported on US highways, including food, fuel, and healthcare supplies. As a result, the demand for drivers continues to grow, and more trucks will be needed to meet this demand.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, truck drivers account for 5.8% of the US workforce. While there is a gender imbalance in the trucking industry, women make up 10% of the driving population. Although the stereotype about trucking is that it’s a physically demanding occupation, many recent changes to trucking equipment have made the occupation more inclusive. For example, women can now drive drop-and-hook trucks, which means more comfort and equal pay.

The number of truck drivers in the US depends on the region that the driver covers and the schedule that the driver chooses. Regional drivers may only be away from home a few nights per week. The trucking industry is also struggling to recruit new drivers. According to IRU, the shortage will become worse in 2022. Despite salary increases, there are not enough drivers to meet the growing demand.

READ ALSO:  How Often to Replace Shocks on Truck?

What Nationality are Most Truckers?

While most truck drivers are white and male, there is a growing minority of Hispanic and female drivers. In addition, the demographics of the industry are changing with more immigrants from other countries filling jobs that were traditionally filled by white Canadians. However, even among truckers of different nationalities, women are still few in number. It is important for white Canadians to learn about these newcomers and build bridges with them.

In 2016, nearly one-fifth of truckers in Canada were South Asian. This group made up nearly 50% of truckers in Toronto and Vancouver and is expected to increase significantly over the next decade. Overall, white drivers account for more than 60 percent of the trucking industry, but immigrants represent nearly one-third of the driving force in these cities.

This dramatic shift in truckers’ demographics is also fueled by recent migration to Canada. Newcom Media’s editorial teams analyzed 25 years of Canada Census data to understand the characteristics of Canada’s trucking community. According to the Census data, almost one-fourth of truckers in Canada are of South Asian descent.

What State Has the Most Truck Drivers?

There are over 141 million trucks on the road in the U.S., but some states have more than others. Texas and California both have more than 12 million trucks. The least number of trucks in a state is Vermont. It has 370,267 trucks per 100,000 residents.

The United States has a huge shortage of truck drivers, resulting in many open positions across the country. The states with the most truckers are those that have the greatest demand for truck drivers. The shortage of drivers is caused by the fact that billions of tons of freight must be moved, but there are too few drivers to transport it. This asymmetry creates a massive demand for new drivers.

Truck drivers are required to follow federal, state, and interstate regulations. Generally, truck drivers travel at least 605 miles per day, although the mileage will vary depending on the route, traffic, and weather conditions. A truck driver’s salary will vary by state, but in the United States, truck drivers can expect to make between $48,000 and $54,000 a year.

READ ALSO:  What is a Truck with a Forklift Called?

Do Most Truckers Own Their Trucks?

Truck drivers who own their own trucks have several advantages. They have control over the equipment, can choose what seats they want, and can customize their truck according to their preferences. Of course, these benefits do not come cheap. Owner operators have more flexibility in choosing the type of loads they haul and more job flexibility.

Owner operators are independent contractors who sell their services directly to shippers or lease their own trucks. They are also the business owners who manage the loads of other drivers. However, owner-operators often have trouble qualifying for owner-operator insurance. They may be liable for damages caused by other drivers, or may not be covered under their own policy.

Owner-operators tend to earn higher wages than company drivers. In fact, the top ten percent of owner-operators earn 52 percent more per hour than company drivers. This means that owner-operators earn $19,200 more a year. However, they also work longer hours than company drivers.

How Many CDL Holders are in the US?

In the United States, there are approximately 3.5 million licensed truck drivers. Most of them are independent owner operators. This industry is vital to the US economy. About 70% of freight goods are delivered by trucks. The transportation industry generates $671 billion annually. However, there are many dangers associated with being a truck driver.

This problem has led to several government initiatives. The FMCSA is one such example. The agency is committed to improving the process for truckers who are applying for a CDL. It has allocated $30 million to help states speed up the process. It has also sent a toolkit to all fifty states so that they can address their challenges.

Another challenge that the industry faces is a lack of drivers. The American Trucking Association has estimated that there is an industry shortage of 80,000 truck drivers. Experts attribute this shortage to a lack of interest in the difficult jobs. The Department of Motor Vehicles tracks the number of commercial drivers licensed in the US.

Learn More Here:

1.) History of Trucks

2.) Trucks – Wikipedia

3.) Best Trucks