U.S. trucking industry faces high driver turnover

Data from federal research and industry turnover suggests that the perceived driver shortage in the United States may be driven more by high turnover rates than a lack of available workers. Large long-haul truckload carriers have historically experienced extreme churn, with a Bureau of Labor Statistics study finding annual turnover averaged 94% at large long-distance carriers between 1995 and 2017.

Factors contributing to this turnover include pay, long hours, working conditions, and time spent away from home. The situation is further complicated by drivers leaving large carriers to become independent owner-operators, which reduces carrier workforce numbers without necessarily removing workers from the industry entirely.

While the American Trucking Associations (ATA) projected a need for nearly 1 million new drivers between 2021 and 2030 due to retirements and industry growth, ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello noted that the market has changed considerably since the pandemic-era shortages.