Trucking sector faces uncertainty amid job losses and market pressures

Employment in the trucking sector continues to show signs of uncertainty.

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that in June, the trucking sector lost 2,700 jobs. While this indicates a continued decline, total employment remained nearly stable compared to the same period last year, with a slight year-over-year increase of 0.17%.

The overall outlook for the sector is not entirely negative. On one hand, the general unemployment rate in the United States slightly decreased from 4.2% to 4.1%. In the transportation sector, there was also an improvement, with a 0.3 percentage point reduction, bringing the unemployment rate down to 4.5%.

Within jobs related to transportation and material moving, unemployment fell more sharply by 0.8 points, reaching 5.9%.

Market uncertainty and investment slowdown in the transportation sector

David Spencer, Vice President of Market Intelligence at Arrive Logistics, warned in a recent article published by Commercial Carrier Journal that low demand and persistently low spot rates continue to pressure full truckload carriers, who have been facing tough conditions for over three years. According to Spencer, this trend could lead to further job cuts as the year progresses.

Data from FTR Transportation Intelligence and ACT Research confirm this negative outlook: Class 8 truck orders fell by 25% month-over-month and 36% year-over-year in June. According to Dan Moyer, Senior Analyst at FTR, regulatory uncertainty, including potential Section 232 tariffs and revisions to the EPA 2027 emissions regulations, has led many fleets to delay purchasing decisions.

“Although carriers will do everything they can to retain quality drivers, the reduction in equipment numbers could lead to further job losses,” Spencer stated.

Driver hiring: speed and efficiency are key

What’s the solution? CCJ Digital shares a recent report from Tenstreet, a human resources management platform for the transportation industry, highlighting that speed in the hiring process is crucial to attracting and retaining drivers.

According to Tenstreet’s analysis based on data from over 1.5 million drivers and thousands of carriers, companies that respond to an application in less than five minutes achieve a hiring rate of 6.2%, nearly double the average of 3.7%. Additionally, extending the hiring process beyond 10 to 15 days can reduce success rates by up to 50%.