The trucking industry is facing yet another problem. The American Transportation Research (ATRI) recently released a data report of the current driver demographics. Their most consistent finding? Drivers are old and only getting older.

The report shows that the average age of current truck drivers is 52. Of all truckers there is a disproportionately large amount of drivers age 45 or older. Over the past 20 years there has been a sharp decrease the amount of truckers 35 and younger.

With the short supply of drivers already this can mean trouble for the whole economy. America will slowly lose people to haul freight as the majority of truckers begin to retire in the next 10-20 years.  The industry needs to recruit younger truckers now.  The report discusses methods such as increasing the vocational presence for trucking as well as making more high school graduates eligible for a CDL.

A copy of ATRI’s report is available at www.atri-online.org.