Commercial driver statistics describe several different populations, including heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, broader truck-driving occupations, CDL and CLP holders, and Clearinghouse records. The figures below identify the population, geography, measurement period and whether each result is an estimate, forecast, regulatory limit or observed administrative record.
Key Commercial Driver Statistics
The most useful national commercial driver statistics include:
- In 2025, 2,221,200 heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs existed in the United States, according to a BLS occupation estimate.
- BLS projects 2,305,000 U.S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs in 2035, a forecast rather than an observed count.
- From 2025 to 2035, heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver employment is projected to grow by 4% in the United States.
- During 2025–2035, about 214,500 heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver openings are projected each year in the United States, including replacement openings.
- In May 2024, 2,070,480 U.S. jobs were held by heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, an OEWS wage-and-employment estimate.
- In May 2025, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers had a mean annual wage of $59,710 in the United States.
- In May 2025, the median annual wage for U.S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $58,640.
- In May 2025, the lowest-paid 10% of U.S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earned less than $40,140 annually.
- In May 2025, the highest-paid 10% of U.S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earned more than $79,380 annually.
- In 2025, truck transportation employed 40% of U.S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
- Under the federal rule summarized by BLS, a long-haul driver may drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour on-duty window in the United States.
- Under the same rule, drivers must have at least 10 hours off duty between working periods.
- From January 6, 2020 through June 2024, the FMCSA Clearinghouse recorded 267,495 all-substance positive results in the United States.
- From January 6, 2020 through June 2024, 81% of reported Clearinghouse violations were positive drug tests.
- As of July 1, 2024, 253,928 drivers had at least one recorded Clearinghouse violation in the United States.
- As of July 1, 2024, 173,835 CDL or CLP holders were in prohibited status in the Clearinghouse snapshot.
Contents
- Commercial driver workforce size and outlook
- Commercial driver pay statistics
- Where commercial drivers work
- Commercial driver schedules, licensing and limits
- Commercial driver drug-and-alcohol violation data
- Commercial driver return-to-duty data
Commercial Driver Workforce Size and Employment Outlook
BLS reports 2,221,200 heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs in 2025 and projects 2,305,000 in 2035. The projected increase is 83,800 jobs, or 4%, but the projection is not an observed count and the occupation estimate is not a count of every CDL holder. BLS Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers provides the occupation profile and outlook.
The projected average of 214,500 openings per year during 2025–2035 includes replacement openings as well as employment growth. That distinction matters because annual hiring demand can exceed the net change in the occupation.
| Population or measure | Period | U.S. count | Definition or limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 2025 | 2,221,200 jobs | BLS occupation estimate |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | 2035 | 2,305,000 jobs | BLS projection |
| Annual openings | 2025–2035 | 214,500 | Average forecast including replacements |
| Driver/sales workers and truck drivers | May 2024 | 3,482,310 workers | Broader SOC occupation |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | May 2024 | 2,070,480 jobs | OEWS wage-and-employment estimate |
| Light truck drivers | May 2024 | 994,410 jobs | Not necessarily CDL holders |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | May 2025 | 2,062,040 jobs | OEWS estimate |
The May 2024 broader driver/sales workers and truck drivers occupation included 3,482,310 workers, while the narrower heavy and tractor-trailer category included 2,070,480 jobs. In May 2025, the corresponding OEWS estimates were 3,454,520 for the broader occupation and 2,062,040 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
The May 2024 figures come from Occupational Employment and Wages — May 2024, while the May 2025 figures come from Occupational Employment and Wages — May 2025. OEWS measures wage-and-salary workers in nonfarm establishments; it should not be treated as a census of independent owner-operators or all license holders.
Commercial Driver Pay Statistics by Occupation and Industry
May 2025 BLS data place the heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver mean at $28.71 per hour and $59,710 per year, while the median was $28.19 per hour and $58,640 per year. The mean and median are different measures, and the annual figure applies to year-round full-time hours where applicable.
| Measure | May 2024 | May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy truck driver mean hourly wage | $28.08 | $28.71 |
| Heavy truck driver mean annual wage | $58,400 | $59,710 |
| Heavy truck driver median hourly wage | $27.62 | $28.19 |
| Heavy truck driver median annual wage | Not supplied | $58,640 |
| Light truck driver mean annual wage | $47,950 | $48,770 |
For heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in May 2025, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,140 annually, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $79,380. These are percentile thresholds, not averages for the lowest- and highest-paid groups.
Industry also matters. The May 2025 median annual wage was $60,320 in truck transportation, $58,550 in wholesale trade, $56,570 in manufacturing and $56,080 in construction.
For comparison, light truck drivers had a May 2025 mean hourly wage of $23.45 and mean annual wage of $48,770; that occupation is not necessarily limited to CDL holders.
The broader driver/sales workers and truck drivers occupation had a May 2024 mean annual wage of $53,170 and median hourly wage of $23.82. In May 2025, those measures were $54,350 and $24.23, respectively.
See the BLS May 2024 and May 2025 releases for scope notes and occupation definitions.
Where Commercial Drivers Work: Industry Distribution Data
The 2025 BLS profile shows that heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are distributed across several employer settings. Truck transportation was the largest named industry at 40% of occupation employment, while wholesale trade accounted for 12%.
| Employer setting or status | Share of heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver employment, 2025 | Geography |
|---|---|---|
| Truck transportation | 40% | United States |
| Wholesale trade | 12% | United States |
| Self-employed workers | 7% | United States |
| Manufacturing | 7% | United States |
| Construction | 6% | United States |
The 7% self-employed figure is classified by worker status in the BLS profile, while the other percentages describe employer-industry distribution. These categories should not be added together as a complete employment total because worker status and industry are different classification dimensions.
The industry-specific pay figures also show why one occupation-wide wage does not describe every commercial driving job. Truck transportation had the highest supplied industry median at $60,320 annually in May 2025, compared with $56,080 in construction.
Commercial Driver Schedules, Licensing and Operating Limits
Federal hours-of-service rules summarized in the BLS profile set operating limits for U.S. interstate long-haul drivers. They are regulatory maximums and minimums, not averages of actual hours worked.
- A driver may remain on duty for up to 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty.
- Within that 14-hour window, the driver may drive up to 11 hours.
- Drivers must have at least 10 hours off duty between working periods.
- Drivers are limited to 60 driving hours in 7 days or 70 driving hours in 8 days.
- After the 60- or 70-hour cycle, drivers must take 34 hours off before starting another run.
BLS reports that professional truck-driving school programs commonly last 3 to 6 months. Federal regulations summarized by BLS require CDL drivers to pass a physical exam every 2 years, although the profile notes that exemptions and rule changes may apply.
The qualification thresholds described by BLS include at least 20/40 vision in each eye and a 70-degree field of vision in each eye for a heavy truck driver. These are regulatory qualification thresholds, not measures of how common a vision level is among drivers. BLS Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is the supplied source for the schedule, training and qualification details.
Commercial Driver Drug-and-Alcohol Violation Statistics
The FMCSA Clearinghouse measures tests, violations and statuses in an administrative system, not drug-use prevalence among all commercial drivers. From January 6, 2020 through June 2024, it recorded 282,780 test results reported with violations, and positive drug tests accounted for 81% of reported violations in the June 2024 report.
| Clearinghouse measure | Period | Count | Important scope note |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-substance positive results | 2020 | 53,514 | Partial first year after January 6 start |
| All-substance positive results | 2021 | 55,223 | Results, not unique drivers |
| All-substance positive results | 2022 | 68,639 | More than one substance may appear |
| All-substance positive results | 2023 | 61,443 | Results, not unique drivers |
| All-substance positive results | January–June 2024 | 28,676 | Partial year |
| All-substance positive results | January 6, 2020–June 2024 | 267,495 | Cumulative results |
| Dilute specimens | Through June 2024 | 11,687 | Test-result category |
| Dilute specimens | 2024 through June | 1,322 | Partial year |
The 2020 count is partial because Clearinghouse reporting began on January 6. The counts can include multiple results for one driver, and multiple substances can appear in one positive drug test, so they should not be converted into unique-driver prevalence.
These figures are from the FMCSA June 2024 Monthly Summary Report. The report’s violation percentage refers to reported violation results, not the share of all CDL or CLP holders.
Commercial Driver Return-to-Duty and Safety Participation Data
The July 1, 2024 FMCSA snapshot shows several stages of the return-to-duty process. It reported 253,928 drivers with at least one violation and 173,835 CDL or CLP holders in prohibited status, but neither figure represents all commercial drivers.
| Return-to-duty or status measure | As of July 1, 2024 | Population or unit |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers with at least one violation | 253,928 | Drivers |
| CDL/CLP holders in prohibited status | 173,835 | CDL/CLP holders |
| Return-to-duty process not started | 132,234 | Drivers |
| SAP request sent | 1,674 | Drivers |
| SAP designation confirmed | 5,104 | Drivers |
| Declined SAP requests | 1,044 | Requests |
| Initial SAP assessment complete | 8,385 | Drivers |
| Eligible for return-to-duty testing | 25,394 | Drivers |
| CDL/CLP holders in not-prohibited status | 80,093 | CDL/CLP holders |
| Negative return-to-duty test result | 59,041 | Drivers |
| Follow-up testing plan complete | 21,052 | Drivers |
These are process-stage counts and status snapshots, not interchangeable measures. A driver can appear in different process categories over time, and the counts should not be treated as a single funnel unless the reporting definitions explicitly support that use.
The source is the FMCSA June 2024 Monthly Summary Report. Its Clearinghouse records, tests, statuses and snapshots measure administrative participation and outcomes, not unique-driver prevalence across the entire commercial driving workforce.