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