Trucking is essential to the American economy. Most goods, from groceries to electronics, touch a truck at some point in the supply chain. It’s in the interest of American society, the business community, and even the American government to ensure a steady supply of truck drivers that will continue hauling goods into the future.

Even as ecommerce and online buying take over business from retail and brick-and-mortar stores, the goods themselves still must be transported by truck, ship, or rail. No technological innovation will save the economy and the American standard of living from a lack of truck drivers.

This gives dangerous context to a new survey from CCJ – the Commercial Carrier Journal – that gives insight into the average age of truck drivers. The survey, entitled What Drivers Want and conducted in partnership with fleet management company Lytx, revealed that the average age of the American truck driver is higher than the median age of the average American worker.

Here are some quick stats from the report:

• 74% of all respondents were aged 55 or older.

• The average age of all respondents was 59.5 years.

• Zero percent of company drivers and leased owner-operators were 34 years old or younger.

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the average age of an over-the-road driver is 46 years old. ATA’s research also shows the average age of a driver training for their CDL is 35 years old. And those are people just starting their careers!

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics research from 2023, the median age of the American worker is 42 years old for men and 41.6 years for women. Both figures are lower than the numbers for truck drivers. Even though this compares averages to median, the trucking numbers are startling.

This research should be a wake-up call for the trucking industry. Not only should the career of the truck driver become more enticing to younger workers, but the job must also provide better wages and retirement possibilities for older workers, who should no longer have to work well past retirement age.