Jobs in Transportation Seeing an Uptick as Recession Dwindles

One has to look no further than the trucking and transportation industry to see how the nation as a whole is fairing, economically. The recent growth in jobs in transportation proves that the nation is looking better.

The jobs in transportation outlook as well as the wages associated with them is looking to grow by 10-plus percent in the 10-year period beginning 2008. Jobs in transportation were hit hard when the recession began because as consumers tightened their purse strings, there was less cargo to haul. Less cargo means fewer routes and less demand for drivers. When the recession hit hard, jobs in transportation took an equally devastating hit.

But the recession is fading into the background, as cargo is again moving through ports and from warehouses and into the backs of thousands of trucks. Driving schools are seeing an uptick in enrollment as demand continues to increase. The buying habits of the everyday consumer are increasingly becoming tied to home computers, smartphones and tablet computers, which means everything is being shipped directly to their homes. This trend is also having a positive impact on jobs in transportation.

It’s not just drivers who are getting back into the transportation industry – mechanics and technicians are also seeing more demand for their services. Warehousing is also closely related to the transportation industry, and jobs in that industry are also showing an improved outlook.

2011 was a tough year for the trucking industry as fuel prices peaked and a transportation funding bill seemed to get nowhere on Capitol Hill. Regardless of those challenges, 2011 saw a six percent increase in cargo tonnage over the previous year. And despite challenges the industry faces, new regulations continue to make it harder for companies to do business and/or keep a qualified list of drivers on the roster. In some financial quarters, driver overturn hit nearly 90 percent in 2011. Still the number of trucks on the roads increased, proving that the continued economic recovery throughout the nation necessitates the trucking industry.

The American Trucking Association chief economist said during a recent panel discussion that the trucking industry should see a two percent growth through the end of the year. Much depends on what happens in markets throughout the world as well as how lawmakers deal with fiscal issues on American soil. But some statistics compared to the previous year are pointing upward, including a tonnage increase of nearly four percent, an increase in load volume by nearly five percent, a half-percent increase in the number of loads being carried by large carriers and a nearly six percent increase in flatbed freight.