Journal of Commerce Logo
Journal of Commerce Logo

Trucking labor

News and analysis of truck labor, supply, demand, shortages, wages, trends

The latest Trucking labor News & Analysis

US transport providers lose fewer jobs than expected in January

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Feb 3, 2023, 2:44 PM EST

Courier, trucking, and warehousing firms lost workers last month, but the seasonal surge and purge was more muted than expected, reflecting broader labor market resilience.
SurfaceTrucking laborIndustrial real estate

Demand for last-mile services fuels US transportation hiring

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jan 6, 2023, 4:19 PM EST

Firms engaged in last-mile delivery hired fewer workers than expected in December, but still made big employment gains, while real trucking jobs in the US dropped in a typical seasonal pattern.
SurfaceTrucking labor

Proposed federal rule threatens independent contractor model in trucking: opponents

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Jan 6, 2023, 12:19 PM EST

A new rule proposed by the US Department of Labor could signal the beginning of the end of the independent contractor model in port drayage and other trucking sectors, opponents say.
DrayageTrucking labor

High stock levels, weak demand put CNY import rush in doubt

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Dec 6, 2022, 10:54 AM EST

The traditional increase in bookings for December and January shipments out of Asia is nowhere to be seen as importers in destination markets struggle with surplus stock levels and weakening demand.
SurfaceTruckingTrucking labor

Transportation hiring surge falls short in November

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Dec 2, 2022, 4:58 PM EST

Hiring expectations fell short across many transportation sectors in November, with real trucking employment dropping while warehousing firms and couriers added workers.
Trucking laborLTL

Trailer makers boosting production as orders soar

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Dec 2, 2022, 1:34 PM EST

Stubbornly strong industrial output and pent-up demand are expected to keep pressure on trailer manufacturers to increase supply, even during a US economic slowdown.
SurfaceTruckingTruckloadLTLTrucking labor

US trucking jobs rebounded to all-time high in October

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 4, 2022, 3:45 PM EDT

For-hire trucking companies added almost 20,000 jobs last month, erasing September’s payroll cut as capacity shifts between trucking sectors.
Trucking laborLTL

US transport hiring rises, but not at warehouses

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Sep 2, 2022, 4:59 PM EDT

While trucking makes hiring gains in the US, unadjusted warehousing and storage employment has fallen in four of the past five months, contributing to supply chain bottlenecks.
Trucking labor

US trucking’s hiring surge gaining momentum

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jun 3, 2022, 2:29 PM EDT

The addition of 22,500 trucking employees in May after a 14,900-gain in real jobs in April reveals a trucking sector confident in continuing freight demand as markets realign in 2022.
Trucking laborLTL

Hiring surge points to strong US trucking demand

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | May 9, 2022, 4:29 PM EDT

For-hire trucking employment soared past seasonal expectations in April, underscoring strong demand despite declining spot market pricing.
Trucking labor

Worker retention the real problem in US transportation, warehouse sector: analyst

Jason Miller, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management, Michigan State University | Jan 20, 2022, 11:11 AM EST

Facing one of the most challenging labor markets in recent memory, US transportation and warehousing managers are finding workers -- they’re just having trouble holding onto them, says a sector analyst.
Trucking labor

US delivery employment soars as trucking slips

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jan 7, 2022, 4:48 PM EST

Seasonality was behind the large increases in courier and delivery employment and a drop in trucking employment last month; beneath the surface, there’s tooth-and-nail competition for labor.
TruckingLTLTrucking labor

Omicron adding to trucking capacity woes

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jan 6, 2022, 4:48 PM EST

The fast-spreading variant of COVID-19 likely won’t affect trucking as much as warehousing and aviation, but its indirect impact will put more pressure on already high trucking costs.
TruckingLTLTrucking labor

Biden effort to attract truck labor not a short-term fix

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Dec 20, 2021, 12:14 PM EST

A White House plan to encourage more trucking companies to recruit drivers via apprenticeships isn’t a short-term fix but may help long-haul carriers find drivers for the long term.
Trucking labor

Transportation hiring, but not trucking, surged in November

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Dec 7, 2021, 4:35 PM EST

The for-hire trucking industry lost jobs in November, as it typically does, but fewer than anticipated as couriers and warehouses grabbed the most new employees amid strong pre-holiday demand.
Trucking laborLTL

Hiring gap between large, small trucking companies poses challenges

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 30, 2021, 4:26 PM EST

A spot market gold rush is enlarging a hiring gap between large and small trucking companies, posing challenges for larger carriers seeking drivers and for shippers moving large volumes of freight.
TruckingTrucking labor

Teamsters elect Hoffa opponents to lead union

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 19, 2021, 5:33 PM EST

Teamsters rank-and-file members have elected critics of outgoing General President James P. Hoffa to lead the union in a more militant direction.
Trucking labor

US transportation hiring exceeds expectations

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 5, 2021, 3:54 PM EDT

Bigger than expected gains in warehousing and trucking in October are welcome amid ongoing reports of labor shortages.
TruckloadLTLTrucking labor

US vaccine mandate to impact truck rates, capacity

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 5, 2021, 12:01 PM EDT

The Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccination and testing mandate for large employers will affect truck capacity and pricing, but questions about the extent of its impact remain.
Trucking laborLTLTruck brokersTruckload

Survey highlights challenges of truck driver COVID-19 vaccinations

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 3, 2021, 2:35 PM EDT

A truck driver survey underscores the threat of potential service disruptions from an upcoming US vaccine mandate for large employers, with 36 percent of drivers showing no interest in vaccination.
TruckloadLTLTrucking labor