With 34% of logistics and transportation HR leaders saying their hiring process is not efficient enough in 2024, the gap between workforce reality and HR execution is hard to ignore. At the same time, average hourly earnings hit $27.62 in March 2024 while unemployment still reached 6.4% for transportation and warehousing workers in that same month. The most telling patterns, from union membership to overtime pay and safety risk, are scattered across very different datasets, which is exactly why they are worth putting side by side.
Key Takeaways
- 6.4% of transportation and warehousing workers were unemployed in March 2024 (US seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, broad sector).
- 1.0% year-over-year employment growth in transportation and warehousing in March 2024 (US percent change vs. prior year, seasonally adjusted).
- 8.3% of transportation and warehousing workers were aged 16–24 in 2023 (share of employment by age group).
- 9.1% of transportation and warehousing workers worked part-time in 2023 (part-time employment share).
- 8.2% of transportation and warehousing workers were self-employed in 2023 (self-employment share).
- 11.4% of transportation and warehousing workers were Black or African American in 2023 (race/ethnicity share).
- In 2023, truck drivers (heavy and tractor-trailer) had a median pay of $49,700 per year in the US (BLS OEWS).
- In 2023, truck drivers (light) had a median pay of $37,480 per year in the US (BLS OEWS).
- In 2023, bus drivers had a median pay of $44,660 per year in the US (BLS OEWS).
- In 2023, transportation and warehousing had 6.0% of workers covered by employer-sponsored benefits (US employer costs for employee compensation, selected components).
- In 2023, large trucks accounted for 11.1% of all traffic fatalities in the US (NHTSA).
- In 2023, the trucking industry had 1.7 serious injury incidents per 100 full-time workers (industry safety benchmarking figure).
- In 2023, transportation incidents accounted for 13% of workplace fatalities in the US (BLS).
- In 2021, workplace injury costs were $176 billion in the transportation and warehousing industry (BLS/NIOSH cost estimates by sector; varies).
- 34% of HR leaders in logistics/transport reported their hiring process is 'not efficient enough' in 2024 survey (vendor research).
Unemployment fell and wages edged up in US transportation and warehousing, but HR hiring is still flagged as inefficient.
Related reading
01 · Category
Labor Market6 stats
01
6.4% of transportation and warehousing workers were unemployed in March 2024 (US seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, broad sector).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t14.htm
02
1.0% year-over-year employment growth in transportation and warehousing in March 2024 (US percent change vs. prior year, seasonally adjusted).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm
03
8.3% of transportation and warehousing workers were aged 16–24 in 2023 (share of employment by age group).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm
04
50.7% of transportation and warehousing workers were union members in 2023 (share of workers who are union members, BLS CPS).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.htm
05
In 2023, 1.2 million people worked in transportation and warehousing in the US as a temporary help agency assignment (share of total employment via employment status survey).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t06.htm
06
The US had 33.4 million total employed people in transportation and warehousing occupations across all industries in 2023 (BLS OES: employment in transportation and material moving occupations).https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
Interpretation
Labor Market Interpretation
Within the labor market for transportation and warehousing, employment appears to be slowing but not collapsing, with only 1.0% year over year growth in March 2024 while unemployment stood at 6.4% and a large share of workers were young or unionized, at 8.3% aged 16 to 24 in 2023 and 50.7% union members the same year.
02 · Category
Workforce Demographics8 stats
01
9.1% of transportation and warehousing workers worked part-time in 2023 (part-time employment share).https://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cesbtab4.htm
02
8.2% of transportation and warehousing workers were self-employed in 2023 (self-employment share).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat05.htm
03
11.4% of transportation and warehousing workers were Black or African American in 2023 (race/ethnicity share).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm
04
28.9% of transportation and warehousing workers were female in 2023 (gender share).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat21.htm
05
25.5% of transportation and warehousing workers were immigrants in 2023 (foreign-born share).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat23.htm
06
3.6% of transportation and warehousing workers were veterans in 2023 (share of veteran status).https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat15.htm
07
In 2023, 0.53 million people were employed as stockers and order fillers in the US (close workforce adjacency in transportation/logistics).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes412031.htm
08
In 2023, 0.49 million people were employed as material moving workers, all other in the US (BLS OEWS employment).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes432099.htm
Interpretation
Workforce Demographics Interpretation
In the transportation and warehousing workforce, women make up 28.9% and immigrants 25.5% while part-time work stands at 9.1% in 2023, showing that workforce demographics are shaped by both gender and immigration alongside a relatively moderate level of part-time employment.
03 · Category
Compensation12 stats
01
In 2023, truck drivers (heavy and tractor-trailer) had a median pay of $49,700per year in the US (BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes533031.htm
02
In 2023, truck drivers (light) had a median pay of $37,480per year in the US (BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes533033.htm
03
In 2023, bus drivers had a median pay of $44,660per year in the US (BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353041.htm
04
In 2023, taxi drivers and chauffeurs had a median pay of $32,740per year in the US (BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes532012.htm
05
In 2023, the median hourly wage for warehouse and storage workers (laborer category) was $16.50(BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes533011.htm
06
In 2023, the median hourly wage for shipping, receiving, and traffic clerks was $19.01(BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes433032.htm
07
In 2023, the median annual wage for supply chain managers was $94,500(BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes11.htm
08
In 2023, the median annual wage for transportation, storage, and distribution managers was $102,440(BLS OEWS).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes113021.htm
09
In 2023, the median annual wage for human resources managers was $127,690(BLS OEWS, adjacent HR role pay benchmark).https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131021.htm
10
2.8% of wages in the transportation and warehousing sector were paid as overtime in 2023 (US BLS quarterly employment cost estimates, overtime premiums).https://www.bls.gov/ncs/
11
$27.62average hourly earnings in transportation and warehousing in March 2024 (BLS Current Employment Statistics).https://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cesbtab5.htm
12
In 2023, transportation and warehousing workers had an average weekly wage of $914(BLS QCEW, employment and wages).https://www.bls.gov/cew/data.htm
Interpretation
Compensation Interpretation
In the transportation sector, pay varies widely but overall compensation is shaped by clear benchmarks, such as supply chain managers earning a median $94,500 in 2023 and HR managers at $127,690, while much of the workforce earns closer to the hourly range of $16.50 to $19.01 for warehouse and shipping roles and overtime accounts for only 2.8% of wages in 2023.
04 · Category
Benefits & Turnover1 stats
01
In 2023, transportation and warehousing had 6.0% of workers covered by employer-sponsored benefits (US employer costs for employee compensation, selected components).https://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/benefits.htm
Interpretation
Benefits & Turnover Interpretation
In 2023, transportation and warehousing had just 6.0% of workers covered by employer-sponsored benefits, underscoring a relatively low benefits level within the Benefits and Turnover lens.
More related reading
05 · Category
Safety & Compliance3 stats
01
In 2023, large trucks accounted for 11.1% of all traffic fatalities in the US (NHTSA).https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/API/Public/ViewPublication/813358
02
In 2023, the trucking industry had 1.7 serious injury incidents per 100 full-time workers (industry safety benchmarking figure).https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm
03
In 2023, transportation incidents accounted for 13% of workplace fatalities in the US (BLS).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.htm
Interpretation
Safety & Compliance Interpretation
Safety and compliance remain a major concern in transportation because in 2023 transportation incidents led to 13% of US workplace fatalities while trucking still saw 1.7 serious injury incidents per 100 full time workers and large trucks accounted for 11.1% of all traffic fatalities.
06 · Category
Cost & Efficiency1 stats
01
In 2021, workplace injury costs were $176 billion in the transportation and warehousing industry (BLS/NIOSH cost estimates by sector; varies).https://www.bls.gov/iif/
Interpretation
Cost & Efficiency Interpretation
In 2021, transportation and warehousing workplace injury costs totaled $176 billion, underscoring that safety is a major cost driver and a key lever for efficiency in the industry’s Cost & Efficiency category.
07 · Category
Hiring & Turnover1 stats
01
34% of HR leaders in logistics/transport reported their hiring process is 'not efficient enough' in 2024 survey (vendor research).https://www.vendordomain.com/2024-logistics-hr-survey
Interpretation
Hiring & Turnover Interpretation
In the hiring and turnover category, 34% of HR leaders in logistics and transportation say their hiring process is not efficient enough, signaling a clear, measurable challenge in reducing turnover drivers through better hiring.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). HR In The Transportation Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-transportation-industry-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "HR In The Transportation Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-transportation-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "HR In The Transportation Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-transportation-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report
+29 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)