The Truck Driver Shortage
5 Reasons the Industry Is Still Struggling to Find Drivers
Why the Truck Driver Shortage Is More Complicated Than It Seems
The truck driver shortage has been a major concern for the transportation industry for years, but the problem is more complicated than simply not having enough people willing to drive a truck.
Motor carriers are competing for experienced drivers, younger workers are not entering the industry fast enough, and many drivers leave because the lifestyle becomes difficult to maintain. On top of that, fleets cannot simply hire anyone with a CDL. They need drivers who meet safety, medical, insurance, and company qualification standards.
That combination makes hiring and keeping good drivers increasingly difficult.
The American Trucking Associations has warned that the trucking industry will need to hire a significant number of drivers over the next decade to replace retiring drivers and keep up with freight demand.
Understanding what is actually causing the truck driver shortage can help carriers make better decisions about recruiting, retention, safety, and training.
Struggling to Keep Qualified Drivers?
Understanding the truck driver shortage is only the first step. The bigger question for many fleets is what they can do to keep the qualified drivers they already have.
Our free Truck Driver Shortage Resource Brief gives fleet managers a practical way to look at driver turnover inside their own operation. It covers common reasons drivers consider leaving, including inconsistent earnings, unreliable home time, detention, parking, safety concerns, and equipment issues.
Inside the guide, you’ll also find 6 ways to reduce driver churn and a simple 90-day retention playbook designed to help fleets identify a problem, test a targeted improvement, and measure the results.
Download the free guide and start building a stronger driver retention strategy.
1. An Aging Driver Workforce Is Creating a Retirement Problem
One of the biggest reasons behind the truck driver shortage is the age of the current workforce.
The American Trucking Associations has identified retirements and the aging driver population as important workforce challenges facing the trucking industry.
That matters because when a veteran driver retires, a company is not simply losing someone who knows how to operate a truck. That driver may also have years of experience dealing with weather, difficult customers, delivery schedules, equipment problems, and unpredictable road conditions.
Replacing that level of experience takes time.
The industry must continue recruiting new drivers, but fleets also need to think about how they transfer knowledge, provide employee training and development, and retain experienced drivers before they leave.
For many carriers, the answer is not simply hiring more people. It is creating a workplace where qualified drivers have a reason to stay.
2. The Trucking Lifestyle Can Be Difficult
Driving a truck can provide a strong career, but the lifestyle is not for everyone.
Long-haul drivers may spend several days or even weeks away from home. Drivers often work irregular schedules, sleep in their trucks, deal with changing delivery times, and spend long hours alone.
That can become difficult for drivers with families or young children.
Truck parking is another challenge that adds stress to an already demanding job. Drivers may spend significant amounts of time looking for safe parking near the end of their allowable driving hours. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration continues to address truck parking and other issues that affect commercial drivers on the road.
That is time drivers are not moving freight, and it can add frustration at the end of a long workday.
Quality of life has become an important part of driver recruiting and retention. Carriers that provide more predictable schedules, better communication, improved home time, and stronger support may have an advantage when competing for experienced drivers.
Fleets should also pay attention to what drivers are telling them. A small operational problem that happens every day can eventually become a major retention problem.
3. Retention Is Just as Important as Recruiting
The truck driver shortage is often described as a recruiting problem, but retention may be just as important.
Hiring a new driver does not help much if that driver leaves several months later.
Drivers may move between carriers looking for better pay, more miles, improved home time, newer equipment, or a better working environment. Detention time can also contribute to frustration, especially when drivers spend hours waiting at warehouses, distribution centers, or customer facilities.
For drivers paid primarily by the mile, sitting at a dock may also affect earnings.
Research from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has examined how detention affects driver productivity, safety, and working conditions.
High turnover also increases recruiting and onboarding costs because the company must repeatedly find and train replacements.
Carriers looking to reduce driver turnover should pay attention to the entire driver experience, not just starting pay. Communication, scheduling, equipment condition, training, management support, and respect for a driver’s time can all influence whether that driver stays.
Stop Replacing Drivers. Start Finding Out Why They Leave.
High turnover can make the truck driver shortage feel impossible to solve. Before spending more money on recruiting, fleets should first understand what is driving people out the door.
The free Truck Driver Shortage Resource Brief walks through six areas fleets can examine, including actual weekly earnings, home-time commitments, detention, equipment concerns, recruiting expectations, and support after a driver’s first day.
The resource also provides a simple 90-day process for reviewing turnover data, identifying a problem, testing a targeted improvement, and comparing the results against your starting point.
Instead of treating turnover as something that simply comes with the trucking industry, fleets can begin identifying the issues they actually have the ability to change.
Get the free guide and use it to identify where your retention strategy may be falling short.
4. Younger Workers Are Not Entering Trucking Fast Enough
Another major contributor to the truck driver shortage is the difficulty of attracting younger workers.
For interstate commercial driving, drivers generally must be at least 21 years old. The American Trucking Associations has identified this age gap as one of the barriers that can make it more difficult to bring younger people into the trucking industry.
That creates an awkward gap for someone who is ready to start working right after high school.
A person may graduate at 18 and immediately begin looking for a career. Instead of waiting several years to become an interstate truck driver, that person may choose construction, manufacturing, electrical work, welding, or another trade.
By the time they turn 21, they may already have a steady job, benefits, and a clear career path somewhere else.
The trucking industry has been working to close that gap through apprenticeship programs, military transition programs, and stronger recruiting efforts.
Carriers are also trying to reach groups that historically have been underrepresented in trucking.
The challenge is making trucking competitive with other career choices.
Pay is part of that conversation, but younger workers may also care about scheduling, technology, career development, training, and work-life balance. A strong employee training and development program can also help show drivers that there is room to grow after they are hired.
5. Fleets Need Qualified Drivers, Not Just CDL Holders
One of the most important parts of the truck driver shortage is often overlooked.
A carrier does not simply need someone who can drive a truck.
They need someone who can drive safely, meet regulatory requirements, pass medical requirements, comply with drug and alcohol testing rules, and satisfy the company’s hiring standards.
Insurance requirements may narrow the pool even further.
A driver with a poor driving history, multiple violations, preventable crashes, or other issues may have a CDL but still not meet a fleet’s hiring requirements.
That is why the truck driver shortage is often better understood as a shortage of qualified drivers.
Lowering hiring standards may appear to solve a staffing problem in the short term, but it can create much larger problems later.
Unsafe hiring decisions can lead to crashes, higher insurance costs, compliance problems, lawsuits, and damage to a company’s reputation.
Fleets need to balance recruiting with safety. Building a strong fleet safety program can help carriers establish clear expectations and continue developing drivers after they are hired.
Training Can Play a Role in Driver Retention
Recruiting drivers is only the beginning.
Once a driver joins a company, training can help that driver understand expectations, company procedures, equipment requirements, and safe driving practices.
Consistent training can also help companies build a stronger safety culture.
Drivers who understand what is expected of them and receive regular communication may feel more connected to the company.
Training cannot solve every cause of the truck driver shortage, but it can support retention, improve driver development, and help companies protect the qualified drivers they already have.
INFINITI Fleet Safety Training provides online training tools designed to help trucking companies deliver consistent safety training without pulling drivers into long classroom sessions.
Short, targeted training can be assigned throughout the year and completed from almost anywhere.
Training Can Play a Role in Driver Retention
Recruiting drivers is only the beginning.
Once a driver joins a company, training can help that driver understand expectations, company procedures, equipment requirements, and safe driving practices.
Consistent training can also help companies build a stronger safety culture.
Drivers who understand what is expected of them and receive regular communication may feel more connected to the company. Training also gives managers an opportunity to reinforce expectations before unsafe habits become established.
Training cannot solve every cause of the truck driver shortage, but it can support retention, improve driver development, and help companies protect the qualified drivers they already have.
INFINITI Fleet Safety Training provides online driver safety training designed to help trucking companies deliver consistent safety education without relying entirely on long classroom sessions.
Using a safety LMS can also make it easier to assign training, track completion, document results, and provide ongoing instruction throughout a driver’s employment.
Short, targeted training can be assigned throughout the year and completed from almost anywhere.
The Truck Driver Shortage Is Really a Workforce Challenge
The truck driver shortage is not caused by one problem.
It is the result of experienced drivers retiring, younger workers choosing other careers, difficult working conditions, driver turnover, and a limited pool of people who meet carrier qualification standards.
There is no single solution.
Carriers that want to compete for drivers may need to look beyond recruiting bonuses and job advertisements.
Improving home time, reducing unnecessary delays, strengthening communication, investing in driver development, and creating a safer working environment can all help.
Companies should also look at their own turnover data instead of assuming every driver leaves for the same reason. The problems affecting one fleet may be completely different from those affecting another.
The companies that focus on keeping good drivers may ultimately be in a stronger position than those that constantly try to replace the drivers they lose.
In today’s trucking industry, finding a driver is important.
Keeping a qualified driver may be even more valuable.
Turn What You Learned Into a Driver Retention Plan
Understanding the truck driver shortage is useful, but the next step is figuring out what your company can actually do about it.
Fleets cannot control every workforce trend affecting the trucking industry. They can, however, look closely at why their own drivers leave, whether recruiting promises match reality, and where working conditions can be improved.
The free Truck Driver Shortage Resource Brief gives you a practical starting point.
Inside the resource, you’ll find six driver-retention actions that can help you evaluate issues such as earnings, home time, detention, equipment, and the expectations being set during recruiting.
You’ll also get a 90-day retention playbook that can help you choose one problem, make a targeted improvement, and measure whether it actually works.
Instead of trying to solve the entire truck driver shortage at once, start with the issues affecting the drivers already working for you.
Download the free guide and start building a stronger driver retention strategy.
FAQs
Is there a truck driver shortage in the United States?
Yes, the truck driver shortage continues to affect many areas of the trucking industry, especially when fleets are looking for experienced and qualified drivers. The issue is not simply a lack of people with commercial driver’s licenses. Motor carriers must find drivers who meet safety, medical, insurance, and company requirements. At the same time, experienced drivers are retiring and many fleets struggle with turnover. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 214,500 openings for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers each year from 2025 through 2035, with many openings caused by workers leaving the occupation or retiring.
Why is there a truck driver shortage?
The truck driver shortage is caused by several problems happening at the same time. Experienced drivers are retiring, younger workers are choosing other careers, and long-haul trucking can require drivers to spend days or weeks away from home. High turnover can make the problem worse because fleets may continually recruit drivers just to replace those who leave. Employers also cannot hire every CDL holder who applies. Drivers must meet federal regulations, medical requirements, drug and alcohol testing rules, and company safety standards. As a result, many fleets are competing for a smaller pool of qualified, dependable, and experienced commercial drivers.
How many truck drivers are there in the United States?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 2.22 million heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs existed in the United States in 2025. That number specifically covers heavy and tractor-trailer drivers and should not be confused with every person who holds a commercial driver’s license. Other commercial drivers work in delivery, passenger transportation, construction, and specialized industries. The number is important when discussing the truck driver shortage because trucking supports a large portion of the U.S. freight system. Even a relatively small gap between available qualified drivers and open positions can create significant problems for carriers.
How many CDL drivers are there in the USA?
There is no single number that perfectly represents every active CDL driver in the United States because holding a CDL does not necessarily mean someone currently works as a truck driver. FMCSA data shows that more than 3.67 million unique CDL or commercial learner’s permit drivers were queried through the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse during 2025. Separately, FMCSA registration data covers millions of drivers working for registered motor carriers. These numbers help explain why the truck driver shortage should not simply be measured by the number of CDL holders. Fleets need drivers who are active, qualified, available, and appropriate for specific jobs.
Are truck drivers in demand?
Yes. Truck drivers remain in demand throughout the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers to grow about 4% from 2025 through 2035. More importantly, BLS expects approximately 214,500 openings each year during that period. Many openings will come from drivers retiring or moving into other occupations. Continued demand for freight transportation, consumer goods, construction materials, and e-commerce also supports the need for drivers. The truck driver shortage can make recruiting more difficult for carriers that need experienced drivers with clean records, specialized endorsements, or experience operating particular types of commercial vehicles.
Are CDL drivers in demand?
Qualified CDL drivers are in demand, particularly drivers with strong safety records and experience operating heavy commercial vehicles. Having a CDL alone, however, does not guarantee that a driver will qualify for every trucking position. Motor carriers may consider driving history, accident records, endorsements, previous experience, medical certification, and insurance requirements before hiring someone. Some positions also require specialized experience with tanker vehicles, hazardous materials, oversized loads, or other equipment. This distinction is important when discussing the truck driver shortage. Many fleets are not simply searching for people who possess a CDL. They are competing for dependable drivers who meet their safety and operational requirements.
How does driver turnover contribute to the truck driver shortage?
Driver turnover can make the truck driver shortage much harder for carriers to manage. A fleet may successfully recruit several new drivers but still have staffing problems if experienced employees continue leaving. Drivers may change companies because of pay, home time, equipment, scheduling, communication, detention time, or how they are treated by management. High turnover also increases recruiting and onboarding costs because the company must repeatedly find and train replacements. Improving retention allows carriers to protect the investment they have already made in qualified drivers. For many fleets, keeping experienced drivers can be just as important as attracting new people into trucking.
Why are younger workers not becoming truck drivers?
One challenge behind the truck driver shortage is attracting younger workers to the industry. Most interstate commercial truck drivers must be at least 21 years old, which can create a career gap after high school. Someone who graduates at 18 may choose construction, manufacturing, welding, or another trade rather than waiting several years for interstate trucking opportunities. By age 21, that person may already have a steady career elsewhere. Trucking must also compete with careers offering predictable schedules and more time at home. Apprenticeship programs, improved training, technology, and clearer career paths may help introduce younger workers to professional trucking earlier.
Does the truck driver lifestyle contribute to the shortage?
Yes. The lifestyle associated with long-haul trucking is one factor contributing to the truck driver shortage. Long-distance drivers may spend several days or weeks away from home, and schedules can include nights, weekends, and holidays. The Bureau of Labor Statistics specifically describes long-haul trucking as a lifestyle choice because drivers often spend extended periods away from home. Drivers may also deal with traffic, weather, parking shortages, delivery delays, and irregular sleep schedules. These challenges can make trucking less attractive to some workers. Fleets that offer predictable schedules, better home time, good communication, and driver support may have an advantage when recruiting and retaining employees.
How do retiring truck drivers affect the driver shortage?
Retirement is an important part of the truck driver shortage because carriers lose more than an employee when an experienced driver leaves the workforce. Veteran drivers often have years of knowledge about equipment, customer locations, weather conditions, safe driving practices, and difficult road situations. Replacing that experience takes time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a large portion of future truck driver openings to come from workers who retire or otherwise leave the occupation. When fleets do not have enough younger or mid-career drivers prepared to replace those workers, the available pool of experienced drivers becomes tighter and competition between trucking companies increases.
Does truck driver pay cause the truck driver shortage?
Pay can contribute to the truck driver shortage, but compensation is only part of the issue. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $58,640 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in May 2025. Actual earnings can vary widely depending on experience, freight type, mileage, region, bonuses, and whether someone is an employee or owner-operator. Drivers may also consider unpaid waiting time, time away from home, benefits, equipment quality, and schedule consistency when deciding whether a job is worthwhile. Increasing pay can help recruiting, but carriers may still struggle with retention if the overall driver experience remains difficult.
Does driver detention make the truck driver shortage worse?
Driver detention can contribute to dissatisfaction and turnover, which can make the truck driver shortage worse. Detention happens when drivers spend excessive time waiting at a shipper, receiver, warehouse, or loading facility. Those delays can reduce available driving time and make it harder for drivers to complete their routes efficiently. For drivers paid primarily by the mile, sitting at a dock may also affect earning potential. Repeated delays can create frustration, scheduling problems, and additional fatigue. Carriers that monitor detention, communicate with customers, and compensate drivers fairly for their time may have a better chance of keeping experienced drivers and reducing unnecessary turnover.
Can better safety training help reduce the truck driver shortage?
Safety training cannot solve the truck driver shortage by itself, but it can help fleets retain and develop the qualified drivers they already have. Consistent training gives drivers clearer expectations and helps reinforce company policies, safe driving habits, and regulatory requirements. Training can also help newer drivers continue developing after orientation instead of being expected to learn everything through experience. A strong training program shows employees that the company is investing in their professional development and safety. When combined with good communication, fair treatment, and management support, ongoing training can help create a stronger safety culture and improve the overall driver experience.
Will the demand for truck drivers continue in the future?
Current employment projections indicate that truck drivers will continue to be needed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 214,500 openings for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers each year from 2025 through 2035. Some of those openings will come from industry growth, while many will result from drivers retiring or leaving the occupation. Freight still has to move between ports, warehouses, manufacturers, stores, and distribution centers. E-commerce also continues to support freight transportation demand. While technology may change certain trucking jobs, the truck driver shortage and the need for qualified commercial drivers are unlikely to disappear simply because trucks become more technologically advanced.
What can trucking companies do about the truck driver shortage?
There is no single solution to the truck driver shortage. Trucking companies can improve their position by focusing on both recruiting and retention. Competitive compensation matters, but fleets should also examine home time, scheduling, detention, equipment, communication, training, and how drivers are treated by managers and customers. Developing newer drivers can help expand the qualified workforce, while ongoing safety training can help experienced employees continue improving. Companies should also look closely at why drivers leave instead of assuming that turnover is unavoidable. Fleets that create a safer, more predictable, and more supportive working environment may have a better chance of keeping qualified drivers long term.
