Trucking is one of the most lucrative sectors of the freight industry. According to several market research findings, the global freight trucking market is valued at USD 2.2 trillion in 2025.
The trucking sector employs over 3.5 million drivers in the United States alone. If you factor in other relevant personnel (fleet managers, maintenance technicians, dispatch officers, etc.), trucking is undoubtedly one of the economy’s biggest employers.
Yet, despite these statistics, truck driver shortages continue to hit the headlines globally.
Research by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) found that some 3.6 million trucker positions remained unfilled across 36 countries in 2024. Similar findings were reported the previous year, underscoring the dire shortage of truck drivers.
However, the truck driver shortage isn’t accidental. Numerous factors are responsible for this worrying trend.
In this post, we look at the various reasons why millions of trucking positions remain unfilled worldwide.
Table of Contents
1. Soaring Demand
The trucking industry has widely been described as “the backbone of the economy.”
Without truck drivers, shipments would be stranded at seaports or manufacturing warehouses for days. Agricultural produce would also take weeks to get to the intended retail outlets.
For such a critical sector, it’s understandable why the demand for truckers is constantly rising.
According to OTR driver news, the acute shortage of truck drivers is due to the rapid growth of e-commerce. More consumers can now complete their shopping online. That translates to an increase in the demand for faster deliveries, but not enough truck drivers to facilitate the logistics.
2. Aging Population
How often do you spot an interstate truck driver in their twenties? I can bet you probably haven’t.
Most truckers are relatively aged, a scenario compounded by regulatory hurdles. In the US, you must be 21 years old to become a truck driver.
Besides, the working conditions don’t appeal to the younger population. That explains why the average age of truckers has stagnated around 45 – 50 years for a while now.
Now, the US population data from 2022 indicates that there were 25.37 million people aged between 45 and 50. For perspective, that translates to slightly under 4% of the country’s population potentially working in the trucking industry.
3. Lack of Diversity
Besides a glaring shortage of younger people, the trucking industry is also short of female employees.
A survey conducted by the Women In Trucking Association (WITA) on micro trucking companies reveals that roughly 12.5% of women possessed commercial driving licenses (CDLs) in 2024. An even smaller percentage was actively engaged as truck drivers.
While thousands of women work in the freight industry, they’re usually assigned auxiliary roles like customer support and dispatch. Truck driving is still widely viewed as a male domain.
4. Infrastructural Limitations
Truck drivers often have to navigate immense challenges in the line of duty.
First is motor vehicle traffic congestion, which can delay critical shipments. Despite advancements in route mapping technology, traffic snarl-ups continue to menace the freeways.
Other pitfalls faced by truckers include limited parking spaces and weight station delays. For people who value efficiency, these issues are enough to discourage them from filling up truck driving roles.
5. Harsh Working Conditions
One exciting incentive about becoming a truck driver is the freedom to work on your schedule. However, trucking is a demanding role that calls for self-discipline.
Truckers are often required to stick to tight schedules. This is particularly common while freighting sensitive merchandise, such as biohazards and fresh farm produce.
There are longer driving hours to contend with, too.
If you factor in the lack of active moral support from colleagues and extended periods of solitude, it’s evident why many people would find the trucking profession unappealing.
6. Low Wages
Truck drivers earn an average annual salary of $93,036 in the United States. That’s considerably higher than the national median income of $80,610 in 2025.
Truckers also enjoy fringe benefits, including paid time off and health insurance.
Depending on the company you work for, you could also be entitled to hefty retirement plans and tuition reimbursement if you’re pursuing further education.
Therefore, terming truck driving as a low-paying job would be inaccurate. However, a trucker’s annual remuneration is incommensurate with the working conditions that attend this role.
7. Regulatory Hurdles
A commercial driver’s license is mandatory to become a truck driver. While a CDL program takes a paltry three to six weeks, translating to 192 hours of rigorous training.
The program is split into 60 hours of classroom training, which most learners can easily ace. However, passing the practicals is where the rubber meets the road.
Besides enduring rigorous CDL programs, truck drivers are barred from using marijuana, even medically. The thought of losing one’s job and driving license for failing a cannabis drug test dissuades many people from taking up trucking jobs.
Addressing Trucker Shortages
Acute truck driver shortages have caused supply chain disruptions in numerous routes. This has led to delivery delays and compounded the already-high logistical costs.
Since trucking is the backbone of the global economy, industry stakeholders must move swiftly to reverse the trend before it results in far-reaching economic implications.
As multiple reasons are responsible for trucker shortages, each intervention must address specific problems.
For instance, the government can minimize access barriers by easing legal restrictions. There’s also a need to lobby for better working conditions to make the trucking job appealing to other demographic segments.
