States with the most truck drivers in the U.S.

Celeste Polidori
December 26, 2025

These are the states with the highest number of truck drivers in the United States.

The trucking industry employs approximately 3.6 million truck drivers across the United States. If we were to divide this figure among the 50 states, each would have around 72,000 truck drivers in its workforce. However, in practice, this distribution is not even.

Within the country, some states concentrate a much larger trucking workforce than others. This is due to various factors, such as job opportunities, economic conditions, and sociopolitical contexts that influence hiring. Below is a list of the states with the highest number of truck drivers in the United States.

States with the most truck drivers in the United States

1. Texas

Texas takes first place with good reason. The state has more than 172,000 people employed as truck drivers, which represents an average of 15 out of every 1,000 workers. It is well known that Texas is a major epicenter of the trucking industry, and the numbers confirm it. With a workforce that continues to grow, Texas is officially the state with the largest number of truck drivers in the United States.

2. California

The Golden State is also one of the most important epicenters of the industry, especially due to the heavy activity along its border. For this reason, California ranks second on the list, with more than 130,000 truck drivers in its workforce. In other words, 8 out of every 1,000 workers are dedicated to driving trucks.

3. Pennsylvania

Third place is held by a state that may come as a surprise. However, Pennsylvania has nearly 80,000 truck drivers. In this state, 13 out of every 1,000 workers are truck drivers, making it one of the largest hubs for truckers in the United States.

4. Florida

Florida is no surprise on this list. The Sunshine State ranks fourth, with more than 77,500 truck drivers registered in its workforce. This means that 9 out of every 1,000 workers in Florida are part of the trucking industry.

5. Ohio

Last on the list, but no less important, is Ohio. This state has approximately 71,000 truck drivers, indicating that 13 out of every 1,000 employees work as truck drivers.

Honorable mention: North Dakota

These states represent those with the highest total number of people registered in the trucking industry; however, this does not necessarily mean they offer the best benefits for truck drivers.

According to a report by Fremont Contract Carriers, Inc., North Dakota ranks as the best state for truck drivers, with the average driver earning nearly $54,000 per year. Although North Dakota does not rank among the top five in total number of truck drivers, it is home to approximately 32,000 resident drivers.