Trucking Job Vacancies Could Surge By 2030

Jun 5, 2024 - one year ago

Trucking HR Canada has released its 2024-2030 Labour Market Outlook report titled, Driving Progress – The New Road Ahead.

Trucking Job Vacancies Could Surge By 2030 — *Current industry recruitment activities out-perform the Canadian workforce with more women and youth joining the sector.*

Canada’s trucking and logistics sector drives the nation’s business and consumer economy — its performance is vital to the movement of all goods in Canada’s national supply chain. This comprehensive report has revealed that while the driver shortage remains an issue, employers are increasingly concerned about non-driving occupations. And, for the first time in a decade, increasing input costs replaces driver shortage as the top concern for employers.

“Workforce investments and HR best practices are working. They have driven industry recruitment performance to new heights with significantly more women, youth and immigrants joining our sector,” says Angela Splinter, CEO, Trucking HR Canada. “However, workforce demand continues to outpace supply, with a strong capacity being our nation’s first line of defense against supply chain disruptions. Continued investments can be made with confidence — programs and resources are making a difference for businesses in every sector of Canada’s economy, and for Canadians”.

Key Findings: The Challenges Ahead

Vacancies will exceed 40,400 by 2030 if ongoing support to attract and retain more workers is not provided.
The top concern (33%) expressed by employers is higher costs — including fuel, equipment, insurance and labour, with labour shortages for truck drivers ranking second (17%).
Overall, there were 26,235 more women in trucking and logistics, up 27% (from 97,135 to 123,370) in 2021 over 2016. During this same period, the proportion of women in the overall Canadian workforce remained stagnant at 48%.
Youth (under the age of 25) employed in trucking and logistics increased to 10% in 2021 — the sector employed 34,185 more youth than in 2016. In just five years, the number of youth drivers almost doubled — accounting for 18,690 people behind the wheel and 25% of trucking and logistics workers. Over the same period, the number of people under 25 in the Canadian workforce decreased by 8%.
One in four companies will likely have to delay plans to expand its business because it cannot hire enough drivers.

THRC’s quarterly reports provide data that is not available anywhere else, and shares in-depth analysis by experts who understand the trucking and logistics sector.

This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP).

Source: Trucking HR Canada