Study reveals shifting truck driver demographics

Truck drivers are getting older, more educated and more diverse. Understanding this shift can help motor carriers attract the next generation of drivers.

A new study by the American Transportation Research Institute shows key shifts in the American truck driver profile. Researchers found differences in age, race, education and employment types over the years. However, the number of female truck drivers remains unchanged.

“The trucking industry is undergoing a significant demographic shift, reflecting broader societal, market and U.S. labor force changes,” the study states. “As the current truck driver workforce nears retirement, the industry faces both a challenge and unique opportunity: to resupply its ranks by actively engaging younger, more diverse and historically underrepresented populations.”

The aging, more educated truck driver

The average age of a truck driver is increasing.

Government data reveals the average age for truck drivers is 47, older than the total U.S. workforce average age of 42. However, industry data shows a much older average trucker. That data puts the average age at 56 for owner-operators in 2024. Two decades ago, the average age was 50.

This could pose some issues not too far down the road, as Generation X and Baby Boomer truckers – who make up 62% of the trucking workforce – start to retire. Right now, only 20% of truck drivers are under 35, compared to 35% of the overall labor force. That suggests the younger generations are not as interested in trucking.

According to ATRI, younger truck drivers have different job priorities. They look for stable career paths, a healthy work-life balance, good company culture and stronger training. Researchers recommend that motor carriers adjust their job offerings to attract these younger drivers.

The study also found that 14% of truck drivers have a college degree, up from 9% in 2008. In contrast, nearly half of the total U.S. workforce holds a college degree.

Only 16% of truckers did not finish high school, down from 20%. Most have a high school diploma or equivalent as their highest education.

Earlier this summer, OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh spoke on a panel about truck driver recruitment called “Where’s the Next Generation? Addressing the Talent Pipeline Crisis in Trucking.” Pugh said that trucking has been able to recruit new truck drivers but is unable to keep them, pointing to turnover rates of 90% or higher at large trucking companies.

“As an industry, we have to admit our problems to truly make the job attractive,” Pugh said. “Who wants to come out here and give away 20 hours of free labor every week, try to find a safe place to park every night, not get paid overtime despite working 70 hours a week and missing your family? Lots of people come into the industry every year. The problem is that they don’t stay … Our industry needs to do a lot of self-reflection and self-repair.”

More diversity

Truck drivers are becoming more racially diverse.

In the past decade, the percentage of white truck drivers dropped from 77% to 63%. The overall U.S. workforce also saw a decrease from 77% to 72%. While this shift has been gradual, there was a noticeable drop in 2021 that continued into 2022.

Meanwhile, the percentage of Black and Hispanic truck drivers has increased over the same period of time. Most notable was an increase of Black drivers from 15% to 23% over the past 10 years. The percentage of Hispanic truck drivers rose from 19% to 23%. Both shifts occurred sharply in 2021.

“The growing racial and ethnic diversity of truck drivers supports long-term workforce sustainability,” the study states. “Fleets that invest in inclusive practices can enhance recruitment and reduce turnover. Embracing this demographic shift positions carriers for a competitive advantage.”

Shift away from employee drivers

Most truck drivers are employees, but there is a growing trend toward owner-operators and independent contractors.

According to ATRI historical surveys, employee drivers have accounted for 58% of truck drivers, followed by independent contractors at 26% and owner-operators at 15%. However, there were some changes that occurred around the same time as other demographic shifts.

Currently, 55% of fleets are one-truck operations. That’s up from 51% in 2016. The percentage of one-truck fleets peaked in 2021 and 2022 at 57%.  That coincides with a surge in new entrants in the wake of the pandemic that created high demand and high rates. Consequently, a driver glut was also created once demand began to normalize. Truck driver jobs have been dropping since.

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data, there were about 78,000 new one-truck carriers registered each year between 2021 and 2023, with nearly 96,000 registered last year. Compared to all fleets with at least two drivers, the highest number of new entrants in a year was nearly 39,000 in 2021.

Gender gap

While many demographics are changing, one remains stable: the number of female truck drivers.

Women make up only 4% of truck drivers, a figure that hasn’t changed in the past 15 years. However, many women hold some type of CDL.

In five states studied, women accounted for 4% of Class A CDL drivers. In contrast, 20% of Class B and 35% of Class C drivers were women.

Research shows that women tend to be safer drivers across various categories. The low number of female truck drivers may stem from industry barriers and traditional gender roles.

The average entry age for male truck drivers is 26, while it’s 40 for women. Marital status and parenting may explain this gap. For instance, over 60% of male truckers are married, compared to 40% of women. And women may wait until their kids are older before starting a trucking career.

Last year, the Women in Trucking Association published a report showing the percentage of female professional drivers had hit a five-year low. That report revealed that women make up 9.5% of all professional drivers, down from 12.1% a year before. LL