Local Specialized Freight Trucking NAICS 484220

Apr 6, 2026 - Trucking Employment Hits 8-Year Low

• Truck driver employment in the US hit an 8-year low in March 2026, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting 1.4 million jobs - down 27,300 from 2025 and 124,500 below the October 2022 peak. The last three months have all fallen below 2017 levels, and the true picture is likely worse since self-employed owner-operators aren't counted in the BLS data and have been squeezed by years of low freight rates and spiking diesel prices. Tightening regulations and rising fuel costs from Trump’s Iran adventure are pressuring smaller carriers, making it difficult to add or maintain headcount even as spot rates improve. Despite the weak labor data, a strong new tractor order book suggests some carriers believe the current market tightness will persist - though analysts note it remains difficult to translate rising rates into actual hiring after years of thin margins.
• Trucking dominated US transborder freight in 2025, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, cementing its position as the backbone of North American commerce. Of the $1.6 trillion in total freight moved between the US, Canada, and Mexico across all modes, surface transportation accounted for more than 80% by value - and trucks led the way. Trucking carried 55.7% of all US-Canada freight value and an even more commanding 73.6% of US-Mexico freight value. By comparison, rail (trucking's closest surface competitor) captured just 12.6% of the Canadian corridor and 10.9% of the Mexican corridor. Overall transborder freight fell 1% in 2025, with US-Canada trade declining 6.4% to $712.8 billion, while US-Mexico trade bucked the trend, rising 3.9% to $872.8 billion, a potential bright spot for truckers given their outsized share of that corridor.

• In 2025’s sluggish freight market, health care logistics stood out as a growth bright spot for US carriers, drawing strategic expansion and investment. UPS bolstered its health care business by completing a $1.6 billion acquisition of Andlauer Healthcare Group, enhancing temperature-controlled and time-sensitive transport for pharmaceuticals and medical devices. DHL Supply Chain expanded US capabilities by buying Nashville-based CryoPDP and Tampa-based SDS Rx, strengthening specialty pharmaceutical, biopharma and final-mile services. These deals reflect carriers’ efforts to build high-margin health care networks and meet rising demand for cold chain and clinical logistics services. FedEx also reported plans to grow its health care revenue to about $9 billion in fiscal 2025 as it pursues new business. The segment’s resilience and specialized needs, including temperature control and rapid delivery, position it as a key vertical for US logistics firms amid broader freight market challenges.
• Refrigerated truckload capacity in the US is tightening, pushing spot rates sharply higher, according to DAT Freight & Analytics. Average reefer spot rates, including fuel, came in at $2.47 per mile in mid-October 2025, up 10 cents from September and 12 cents year-over-year. The rate surge is hitting earlier than usual, especially on lanes out of Florida and the US/Mexico border, where enforcement of immigration and licensing regulations has reduced the pool of available drivers. Carriers are increasingly avoiding long hauls or high-risk routes, further straining supply as holiday and produce shipping seasons ramp up. Industry executives describe the market as facing a “continuous Roadcheck,” with regulatory pressure sidelining trucks that would otherwise be operating. The resulting squeeze gives carriers more pricing power, and shippers are paying more to secure capacity amid seasonal demand and ongoing driver shortages.