US trucking jobs flat in October at 1.47 million as couriers drive transportation hiring
Truck transportation employment matched a downward-revised September and sits 1,300 below a year earlier, BLS data show.
Trucking payrolls went nowhere in October.
Truck transportation employment was 1,471,300 in October, seasonally adjusted, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Nov. 6 with the October employment report. That matches September, which BLS revised down to 1,471,300 from its first estimate of 1,473,100. Both months are preliminary and can still change.
The October figure is 1,300 jobs below October 2025, when the sector employed 1,472,600. With the September revision, the small year-over-year gain that showed up in last month's report is gone.
Couriers lead transportation gains
Hiring elsewhere in transportation was stronger. Transportation and warehousing added 24,800 jobs in October, to 6,636,100. Most of that came from couriers and messengers, up 17,400 to 1,107,400. Warehousing and storage was essentially flat at 1,839,200, down 300 from September.
Across the economy, total nonfarm payrolls rose 165,000 to 159.29 million, and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1% from 4.2%.
Inside trucking
The more detailed trucking series lag the headline by a month. In September:
- General freight trucking employed 1,029,500, up from 1,024,700 in October 2025.
- Specialized freight trucking employed 442,700, down from 449,200 in October 2025.
- Average hourly earnings for all truck transportation employees were $33.79, up from $33.75 in August.
Why it matters for rates
Flat payrolls come as freight rates have firmed this fall. Payroll data count employees of trucking companies, so they do not capture owner-operators running under their own authority.
The next employment report, covering November, is scheduled for Dec. 4. The series are on the BLS website.