Truck Driver Jobs: New BLS Report Shows Significant Growth in March

March 2025 Jobs Report: Trucking Industry Sees Significant Growth

Truck Driver Jobs Surge by Almost 10,000 in March

In March 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the truck transportation sector added nearly 10,000 jobs. This increase in truck driver jobs reflects broader strength in the transportation and warehousing industry, which grew by 23,000 jobs during the month.

The monthly boost is nearly double the average monthly job gain in the sector over the past year, signaling steady demand for freight movement. While the trucking industry has faced ups and downs in recent years, this latest jump shows renewed hiring confidence as freight needs increase.

BLS Snapshot: Steady Gains in Truck Driver Jobs

According to the BLS truck transportation subsector data, employment reached 1,550,500 in March—up from 1,540,500 in February. This includes jobs in long-distance freight, local delivery, and specialized trucking.

Wages for workers in this sector have remained stable. Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees were reported at $28.17, with average weekly hours holding at 41.1. This consistency in hours and pay suggests that while many companies are cautious with expansion, they are continuing to rely on current drivers to meet shipping demands.

Truck Driver Jobs Still Below Pre-Pandemic Peak

Even with March’s positive results, truck driver jobs have not fully recovered to their 2022 peak. The trucking industry experienced a major hiring surge during the pandemic due to supply chain disruptions. Since then, freight volumes have normalized, and some fleets have downsized due to rising costs.

Still, the recent increase in employment is encouraging. The March report shows that trucking companies are hiring again, possibly in anticipation of rising freight activity during the spring and summer months.

Transportation Industry Trends Support Truck Driver Jobs

The broader transportation and warehousing industry added 23,000 jobs in March. Growth was strongest among couriers and messengers, which gained close to 16,000 jobs. This bump likely reflects continuing strength in e-commerce and last-mile delivery services.

However, warehousing and storage jobs fell by 9,000—suggesting that some inventory-heavy operations are scaling back. Even so, the gain in truck driver jobs and delivery services shows where demand remains strong.

National Labor Market Sees Strong Gains

Outside of transportation, the U.S. economy added 228,000 nonfarm jobs in March, well above the 12-month average of 158,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.2%, with 7.1 million people unemployed.

Industries showing the most growth included health care (+54,000), social assistance (+24,000), and retail trade (+24,000), the latter helped by the return of workers after a recent strike. Meanwhile, federal government employment dropped by 4,000 jobs.

Trends for Truck Driver Wages

Wages across the private sector grew slightly in March. Average hourly earnings rose 9 cents to $36.00, a 0.3% monthly gain. Over the past year, reported wages have increased by 3.8%.

For production and nonsupervisory employees, including those holding truck driver jobs, wages rose 5 cents to $30.96 per hour.

These modest gains reflects a somewhat stable labor market.

Job Report Revisions Lower Previous Months’ Gains

The BLS also revised job numbers for January and February. January’s job gain was adjusted downward by 14,000 to 111,000, and February’s was revised down by 34,000 to 117,000. These changes show that while the labor market is growing, past reports overstated hiring activity.

Outlook for Truck Driver Jobs Remains Positive

The March BLS data offers a strong outlook for truck driver jobs. The 10,000-job increase signals solid demand and improved conditions in freight. While the industry hasn’t fully bounced back to earlier highs, steady job growth and stable wages indicate signs of recovery.

Looking ahead, more gains in truck driver jobs could come as freight demand rises with seasonal shipping. However, trucking companies will still face economic pressures, fuel costs, regulatory challenges, and pending effects of tariffs.

For now, the March numbers suggest that truck transportation remains on stable ground.