The entire trucking industry is facing a shortage of drivers as the economy rebounds, the energy industry demands more trucks and the baby boom generation, which makes up the largest pool of drivers, is aging out and getting off the roads.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the U.S. will need 330,000 more truck drivers by 2020. With the average trucker being 55 years old, the industry will face a shortage in the next decade from retirements.
Overall, the industry ranks eighth in the total number of new jobs during the next seven years, stacking up against professions in health care, education and retail.
With pay averaging $37,000 a year, trailer and long-haul driving is perhaps the best industry for people who want above-average pay without years of education and training. A training program can cost less than $3,000 and take less than four weeks.