Job opportunities in the transportation and logistics industry continue to grow. Parcel and freight operators added a large number of jobs in July according to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
E-commerce continues to influence the industry. A majority of the jobs added last month were with courier and messenger companies, which include package carriers that deliver goods to consumers’ homes. As e-commerce increases so does the demand for last-mile delivery jobs. There were 6,700 jobs from June to July added to meet this need. Warehousing and storage companies also added 3,200 jobs last month.
Despite a truck driver shortage, the trucking industry also added new hires. There were 2,000 new jobs in trucking according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The trucking industry has added 8,000 jobs since March of this year. Overall, there were 9,000 jobs added to the transportation and warehousing industry in July.
The gains in logistics and transportation hiring came as overall national employment grew. According to the BLS, employment grew by 164,000 jobs. The three-month average for job gains was at 140,000, down from 237,000 a year ago. However, it is expected to see the pace of hiring slow as a growing number of Americans already have jobs. The unemployment rate has remained at 3.7% for two straight months.
To attract new hires to the trucking industry, companies are offering higher pay rates. The average hourly earnings in the U.S. increased by 3.2% from a year ago. The hourly earnings are even higher for truck drivers. Average hourly earnings for drivers were around 3.8% higher than the national average.
There are some signs of an economic slowdown, however, consumers and the logistics and transportation industry remain optimistic. TRAFFIX just had its best month ever with a record-breaking July. If you’re looking for a career in the logistics and transportation industry, visit our online job board and apply today!
