Forget what you think you know about trucking, because behind the wheel and across the logistics landscape, the industry is quietly pioneering a workforce as diverse as the nation it serves.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the percentage of women working as professional truck drivers reached approximately 8.1%
- Women make up about 40.3% of all personnel in the trucking industry including office and support roles
- Female representation in management roles within trucking stands at approximately 15%
- Black or African American drivers represent 18.2% of the total trucking workforce
- Hispanic or Latino drivers account for 23.9% of the driver population
- Asian drivers comprise 4.0% of the long-haul trucking workforce
- The average age of a commercial truck driver in the U.S. is 48 years old
- Approximately 29% of truck drivers are aged 55 or older
- Young drivers aged 20-24 make up only 4.8% of the trucking workforce
- Over 80% of carriers report that diversity and inclusion programs help with driver retention
- 83% of female drivers say they feel safe while on the road most of the time
- Large carriers with diversity programs saw a 10% increase in applicant flow
- Total number of female drivers increased by 15% between 2018 and 2022
- Minority-owned trucking firms account for 12% of all small fleet operations
- The pay gap in trucking is lower than the average industry, with women earning 95 cents for every dollar men earn
The trucking industry is diversifying with more women and minorities, helping address the driver shortage.
Age and Workforce Composition
- The average age of a commercial truck driver in the U.S. is 48 years old
- Approximately 29% of truck drivers are aged 55 or older
- Young drivers aged 20-24 make up only 4.8% of the trucking workforce
- Veteran hiring programs represent 10% of new hires in major fleets like Werner and Schneider
- 31% of female drivers have more than 10 years of experience
- Drivers over the age of 65 represent 7% of the total driver population
- Driver retention among veterans is 15% higher than the general population
- 42% of trucking companies use social media specifically to target younger diverse demographics
- Male drivers aged 25-34 make up 12% of the workforce, showing a decline from previous decades
- Drivers with a Bachelor's degree or higher represent 15% of the workforce
- Veteran drivers are 10% less likely to have preventable accidents
- The average age for entry-level drivers is currently 35 years old
- 5% of all truck drivers are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces
- The percentage of drivers aged 25-34 has increased by 2% since 2021
- 10% of truck driving jobs are now held by workers with some college education
- Drivers aged 65+ have the lowest turnover rate at approximately 20% annually
- 28% of drivers aged 21-30 are female in Canada, trending higher than the US
- 52% of drivers over 55 report they have no plans to retire in the next 5 years
- Younger drivers (under 30) are 3x more likely to use digital driver apps for pay management
- 50% of drivers in entry-level positions are under the age of 40
- 7% of new female drivers are "second-career" professionals over age 40
- 22% of long-haul drivers have 20+ years of industry experience
- 20% of new driver hires in 2023 were under the age of 30
- Turnover for drivers in their first year is 90%, but drops to 30% for those with 5+ years experience
- 4% of veteran truck drivers are women
- 40% of owner-operators are over the age of 55
- 35% of drivers identify as coming from a family where a parent was also a truck driver
- 15% of the trucking workforce has changed careers from retail or food service
Age and Workforce Composition Interpretation
The industry is staring down a demographic cliff with a graying, experienced workforce reluctant to retire while struggling to attract and retain a younger, more diverse generation, creating a precarious gap between its resilient past and its uncertain future.
Demographics and Gender
- In 2023, the percentage of women working as professional truck drivers reached approximately 8.1%
- Women make up about 40.3% of all personnel in the trucking industry including office and support roles
- Female representation in management roles within trucking stands at approximately 15%
- The median age of female truck drivers is 46, while the median age for men is 47
- 14% of female truck drivers reported having served in the military compared to 10% of males
- LGBTQ+ representation in trucking is estimated at 3.5%, though reporting is voluntary
- 18% of new CDL holders in 2023 were women
- 12% of trucking board of directors members are women
- Disability representation (self-identified) in trucking support roles is 6%
- Women in dispatch roles represent 28% of the workforce
- 1.5% of the trucking workforce identifies as having a hearing impairment but qualifying for safe driving waivers
- 3% of the truck driver population are non-binary or gender non-conforming in recent surveys
- Only 2% of truck technicians are women
- 16% of female drivers are under the age of 35, compared to 14% of male drivers
- Female drivers represent 12.1% of all local delivery drivers
- Representation of women in truck sales roles is 25%
- Female drivers account for 7% of heavy-load specialty hauling
- Diversity in safety leadership roles is 18%
- 6% of driver trainers are women
- The percentage of female owner-operators in Canada is 4%
- 11% of trucking human resources professionals are Black or African American
- Female drivers account for 10% of the workforce in the LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) sector
- 5% of the trucking workforce identifies as having a physical disability that is accommodated by modified equipment
- Male drivers account for 91.9% of the total professional driver population
- 30% of female drivers say they was influenced by a female family member to join
- Female drivers represent 1% of the heavy equipment hauling subset
- Women are 5% more likely to stay with a company for more than 5 years compared to men
Demographics and Gender Interpretation
The industry is halfway there: women are 40% of the office staff but only 8% of the drivers, proving the cab is the trucking world's last stubborn bastion to crack.
Economic Impact and Pay
- Total number of female drivers increased by 15% between 2018 and 2022
- Minority-owned trucking firms account for 12% of all small fleet operations
- The pay gap in trucking is lower than the average industry, with women earning 95 cents for every dollar men earn
- 7% of trucking company owners are women as of 2022
- 55% of minority drivers cite "financial independence" as the primary reason for entering the industry
- Entry-level female drivers earn an average of $54,000 annually
- The average carrier spend on diversity training is $450 per employee per year
- 9% of female drivers are owner-operators compared to 11% of male drivers
- 75% of carriers offer tuition reimbursement to attract diverse talent
- African American owner-operators see a 5% higher revenue growth when participating in government contract set-asides
- Hispanic-owned trucking companies grew by 32% between 2012 and 2017
- Average insurance premiums for minority-owned fleets are 4% higher due to geographic factors in urban hubs
- Trucking companies with 25%+ female leadership have 15% higher profitability
- Pay for minority drivers in refrigerated hauling is 3% higher than in dry van hauling
- 44% of new trucking startups in 2022 were minority-founded
- Minority drivers are 8% more likely to pursue "lease-to-own" programs
- 15% of female drivers are the primary breadwinners for their households
- Trucking companies with diversity awards see 5% lower recruitment costs
- Average sign-on bonuses for diverse recruits have increased to $5,000 in 2023
- 70% of female drivers cited better pay as their reason for staying in the industry
- Average annual salary for a minority driver in a unionized fleet is $72,000
- Pay for women in trucking is 7% higher than the national average for blue-collar jobs
- The median income for a Black truck driver is $48,500
- Female drivers earn 98% of what males earn in flatbed hauling specifically
- Average insurance rates for female drivers are 12% lower than for male drivers under 25
Economic Impact and Pay Interpretation
The trucking industry is slowly learning that the road to greater profit is paved with diversity, even if its welcome mat still needs some fine-tuning for full equity.
Race and Ethnicity
- Black or African American drivers represent 18.2% of the total trucking workforce
- Hispanic or Latino drivers account for 23.9% of the driver population
- Asian drivers comprise 4.0% of the long-haul trucking workforce
- White drivers make up 53.9% of the total US truck driver population as of 2023
- Minority representation in the trucking sector is 46.1%, which is higher than the national average for all industries
- Training schools report a 25% increase in non-English speaking students over the last decade
- Native American drivers comprise approximately 0.8% of the workforce
- Black women represent the fastest-growing demographic in independent owner-operator registration
- 22% of diesel technicians are now from minority backgrounds, up from 15% in 2010
- Multiracial drivers account for 2.1% of the professional driving force
- 48% of drivers in urban delivery sectors are from minority groups
- Immigrant drivers make up nearly 19% of the US trucking workforce
- The share of Hispanic drivers has increased by 10 percentage points since 2005
- Drivers from rural areas are 20% more likely to be white compared to drivers in metropolitan hubs
- The number of Black drivers in the industry has increased by 25% since 2010
- 50% of the trucking workforce resides in just 10 states, mostly in the South and Midwest where diversity is rising
- Minority representation in CDL schools reached 52% in 2023
- 20% of the long-haul driver population speak a language other than English at home
- Asian Americans represent the highest percentage of owner-operators per capita among minority groups
- The trucking industry employs over 1.2 million minority drivers as of 2023
- 1 in 5 truck drivers in California is of South Asian descent
- Only 1.2% of truck drivers identify as American Indian or Alaska Native
- Hispanic drivers represent 30% of the trucking workforce in Texas and Florida
- 45% of trucking fleets use minority-owned vendors for maintenance
- 40% of drivers who identify as Black or Latino work in short-haul or drayage sectors
- 12% of the trucking workforce are foreign-born non-citizens
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander drivers make up 0.3% of the workforce
- Minority-owned fleets have a 12% higher utilization of fuel-efficiency technology
- 3% of the truck driver workforce consists of immigrants from Eastern Europe
- Minority drivers account for 50% of the headcount growth in the last 5 years
- 19% of the driver population in the Northeast is Hispanic
- Nearly 40k drivers in the US are from India
- Minority drivers are 10% more likely to pursue specialized certifications like HAZMAT
- 13% of all trucking companies are owned by minorities as of 2023
- Asian American drivers represent 15% of the workforce in West Coast ports
- 18% of the trucking workforce in the Southwest is bicultural
- 17% of carriers provide language translation services for driver training
- 60% of minority drivers attend private training schools rather than carrier-owned schools
- 11% of trucking company executives are people of color
- 25% of carriers use specific advertising on Spanish-language media channels
- Minority women represent 4% of the total US trucking force
- Minority driver participation in voluntary safety training is 10% higher than average
- 2% of the driver population in the US identifying as Asian speak Mandarin or Cantonese
Race and Ethnicity Interpretation
The trucking industry is no longer just a white-knuckle journey through Middle America, but a richly woven tapestry of backgrounds steadily steering the nation's freight toward a future that, mile by diverse mile, is beginning to truly reflect its people.
Workforce Environment and Retention
- Over 80% of carriers report that diversity and inclusion programs help with driver retention
- 83% of female drivers say they feel safe while on the road most of the time
- Large carriers with diversity programs saw a 10% increase in applicant flow
- Female drivers are 20% less likely than men to be involved in a fatal crash
- The turnover rate for female drivers is 5% lower than for male drivers in long-haul sectors
- 65% of trucking companies now have a formal diversity recruitment strategy
- 60% of female drivers specify "dedicated routes" as their preferred job type to balance family
- Average tenure for a minority driver at a single firm is 3.8 years
- 88% of fleets believe that diversifying the workforce is the solution to the driver shortage
- Minority drivers are 15% more likely to use mobile-first training platforms
- Female driver job satisfaction is 12% higher in companies with female CEOs
- 40% of carriers have implemented specific safety equipment adjustments for female drivers
- 92% of female drivers cited "home time" as the most important factor in staying with a carrier
- Female drivers report using social media for networking 30% more than male drivers
- 70% of companies report that a diverse workforce improves their brand reputation
- LGBTQ+ inclusive companies see a 12% reduction in driver turnover
- 38% of female drivers consider "ergonomic truck cabs" as a critical factor in job selection
- 60% of diverse drivers prefer to work for companies with a visible DEI mission statement
- 35% of carriers provide diversity training to their middle management
- 80% of female drivers report harassment is still a major barrier to the industry
- 25% of carriers have implemented specific safety light systems to help shorter drivers (often women)
- 14% of trucking companies have a dedicated Director of Diversity role
- Female drivers spend 15% more time on pre-trip inspections than male counterparts
- Retention for minority drivers increases by 20% when Mentorship programs are present
- 65% of female drivers report that lack of facilities (bathrooms/parking) is their top career deterrent
- 55% of diversified fleets report higher customer satisfaction scores
- Diverse fleets report 15% better adherence to HOS (Hours of Service) regulations
- 8% of carriers have implemented "blind recruitment" for office-based logistics roles
- 90% of female drivers report that "respect from management" is tied for pay as a top priority
- Companies with high diversity scores report 20% fewer DOT violations
Workforce Environment and Retention Interpretation
While a sea of numbers suggests a smarter, safer, and more stable industry blossoms when trucking embraces diversity, a stubborn riptide of harassment and inadequate facilities reminds us the journey is far from complete.
Sources & References
- Reference 1TRUCKINGtrucking.orgVisit source
- Reference 2WOMENINTRUCKINGwomenintrucking.orgVisit source
- Reference 3CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 4BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 5ZIPPIAzippia.comVisit source
- Reference 6SMARTTRUCKINGsmarttrucking.comVisit source
- Reference 7SBAsba.govVisit source
- Reference 8FORBESforbes.comVisit source
- Reference 9CCJDIGITALccjdigital.comVisit source
- Reference 10HRChrc.orgVisit source
- Reference 11ATRI-ONLINEatri-online.orgVisit source
- Reference 12CVTAcvta.orgVisit source
- Reference 13FMCSAfmcsa.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 14BLOOMBERGbloomberg.comVisit source
- Reference 15SHRMshrm.orgVisit source
- Reference 16HEAVYLOADheavyload.comVisit source
- Reference 17FASTPORTfastport.comVisit source
- Reference 18OVERDRIVEONLINEoverdriveonline.comVisit source
- Reference 19MIGRATIONPOLICYmigrationpolicy.orgVisit source
- Reference 20TRUCKERtrucker.comVisit source
- Reference 21SJMsjm.comVisit source
- Reference 22DOLdol.govVisit source
- Reference 23CARRIERLISTScarrierlists.comVisit source
- Reference 24TRANSPORTATIONtransportation.govVisit source
- Reference 25TRUCKNEWStrucknews.comVisit source