• SMU new site announcement banner
  • Skip to main content

    Shipping and Logistics

    ATA Forecasts Shortage of 48,000 Truck Drivers by End of the Year

    Written by Sandy Williams


    A new report by the American Trucking Association reveals that by the end of 2015 the industry will be short nearly 48,000 drivers. By 2024, if the current trend continues, the industry may find itself in need of almost 175,000 drivers.

    The shortage is not a new issue. According to ATA, the problem has been ongoing for the past 15 years. In 2005, a shortage of 20,000 drivers was documented but during the 2008 recession, plummeting industry volume nearly eliminated the driver deficit. Many of those drivers were permanently lost to other industries. As the economy began recovering in 2011, the shortage returned, climbing to 38,000 by 2014.

    Latest in Shipping and Logistics