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Amid global volatility, the U.S. transportation market continues to generate jobs.
In a market still grappling with weak freight demand, industry-wide pessimism, and economic uncertainty, the U.S. trucking sector delivered an unexpected headline: a gain of 9,600 jobs in March—the largest monthly increase since January 2022.
The boost came as part of a stronger-than-expected national jobs report, with nonfarm payrolls rising by 228,000. But the surprise in trucking stood out, especially in a segment many believed was stagnating.
A rebound—but not a full recovery
Even with March’s gain, trucking employment remains slightly below where it was a year ago: 1,525,900 jobs versus 1,531,000 in March 2024. Still, it’s the highest level seen since April of last year.
Back in July 2022, at the height of the post-pandemic freight boom, trucking jobs peaked at 1,587,900. The industry has since cooled significantly—but the latest data suggests there may still be signs of life, even if fragile.
Previous months revised downward
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also adjusted previous figures, revealing that February’s trucking jobs actually fell by 2,800, more than initially reported. Despite this downward revision, March’s rebound helps stabilize the broader picture—but with caution.
Warehousing moves in the opposite direction
While trucking employment grew, the warehousing and storage sector lost 9,400 jobs in March, dropping to 1,822,400. This decline was compounded by significant downward revisions for January and February, erasing more than 18,000 jobs from earlier reports.
Transportation overall: gains driven by couriers
The transportation and logistics sector as a whole added 22,900 jobs, over 10% of the total national increase. Much of this was fueled by courier services, which added a striking 15,800 jobs in March alone. According to labor market economist Aaron Terrazas, courier hiring has been “robust for four months in a row,” largely driven by recovered labor negotiations and seasonal package demand.
Economists cautious despite the surprise
Terrazas noted that the strength in trucking runs counter to industry sentiment. “The strong reported hiring in the freight sector feels very contrary to the continued softness seen in the market,” he wrote, suggesting this could reflect temporary activity, possibly linked to businesses reacting to upcoming tariffs.
Mazen Danaf, economist at Uber Freight, called the surge “counter-seasonal and counter-cyclical.” He attributed it partly to a delayed hiring response to January’s temporary market tightening caused by extreme weather. Still, he warned that stagnant freight demand means the trend likely won’t last, and even projected a decline in trucking jobs for April.
Other key figures
Rail employment dropped by 700 jobs in March, bringing the total to 153,600. Over two months, rail jobs are down 1,100—an unusually steep drop in a traditionally stable sector.
Truck driver wages continue to rise, hitting $30.50/hour in February, the fourth month above the $30 mark. That figure, reported with a one-month lag, marks a new high and reflects slow but steady wage growth for non-supervisory workers in the sector.
A fragile gain in uncertain times
While one strong month doesn’t define a trend, March’s numbers suggest that even in a sluggish freight economy, the trucking sector isn’t standing still. Whether this growth holds will depend on how demand shapes up in the months ahead—but for now, the data offers a rare positive headline in a struggling industry.
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