How Many Truck Drivers In The U.S.? Trend Chart (2025)

How many truck drivers in the U.S. are employed? Learn trucking industry statistics, including occupational and truck crash numbers.

Sarah Edwards

Contributor

Reviewed By Adam Ramirez, J.D.

Editor

September 18, 2025 Read in 3 mins

Number of Truck Drivers in U.S. (1997-2024)

www.consumershield.com

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*Truck drivers include light, heavy, and tractor-trailer truck drivers.

Sources: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Data Share

Research

How Did Truck Driver Numbers Change In The Early 2000s?
How Did The 2008 Crisis And Recovery Affect Truck Driver Numbers?
How Did COVID-19 And E-Commerce Affect Truck Driver Numbers?
Why Are Trucking Accidents Increasing And What Are The Effects?
Contact ConsumerShield After a Large Truck Crash

How many truck drivers are in the U.S.? Quick Answer

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 3.06 million truck drivers were employed in the U.S. in 2024. Employment was similar in 2023 and 2022, each with just over 3 million drivers.

How Did Truck Driver Numbers Change In The Early 2000s?

From 2.64 million in 1997, the number of truck drivers in the U.S. grew slightly to around 2.69 million in 1998. After that year, the number slowly dropped to 2.47 million by 2003 as economic downturns reduced the need for freight transportation.

Despite these setbacks, the number of truckers started to slowly rebound, reaching 2.62 million by 2006.

How Did The 2008 Crisis And Recovery Affect Truck Driver Numbers?

The 2008 financial crisis hit the trucking industry hard, causing the number of truckers to drop to 2.25 million by 2010. The economic slowdown reduced the demand for truck drivers in the U.S. among manufacturers and distributors.

Post-crisis recovery was slow but steady. By 2014, the numbers had climbed back up to 2.42 million, and growth accelerated in the following years. The number of truck drivers reached new heights in the late 2010s, reaching 2.78 million in 2019.

How Did COVID-19 And E-Commerce Affect Truck Driver Numbers?

Despite a slight dip in 2020 to 2.73 million, likely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry recovered quickly. By 2021, the number of truck drivers in U.S. employment rose to 2.91 million and continued to grow to 3.04 million in 2022. Between 2022 and 2024, growth slowed and the number of truck drivers reached 3.06 million in 2024.

This number includes 2.07 million heavy truck and semi truck drivers and almost 1 million drivers of light trucks, such as delivery trucks and vans.

This recent surge can be attributed to the increased reliance on e-commerce, which requires extensive logistics support, and ongoing economic recovery.

Why Are Trucking Accidents Increasing And What Are The Effects?

Trucking is becoming more dangerous for truck drivers and the road users around them. The number of truck accidents has grown steadily along with the number of truck drivers.

Fatal and nonfatal injury crashes involving large trucks hit all-time highs in 2022, the most recent year with full statistics. In that year, trucks were involved in 1.78 fatal accidents and 37 nonfatal accidents for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled, both all-time highs.

These numbers have widespread effects across the economy. Car insurance rates rise as the risk of crashes increases. Large insurance companies have also raised rates for trucking companies. Carriers pass these expenses on to consumers, leading to increased prices for the goods they deliver.

Contact ConsumerShield After a Large Truck Crash

Changes in how many truck drivers in the U.S. are on the roads reflect the broader economic state of the nation. They also affect the risk of injury or death due to large truck collisions. ConsumerShield helps truck accident victims understand their rights after traffic injuries and also assists in finding the best attorney for their case. Contact us for a free case evaluation.