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Occupation Snapshot | Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 2015-2019 | January 2021BackgroundHeavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a total weight exceeding 26,000 pounds for the vehicle, passengers, and cargo. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes that sometimes span several states. As of May 2019, there were 1,856,130 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $22.52 and the average annual wage was $46,850. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnessesIn private industry for this occupation, there were 47,990 nonfatal injury and illness cases requiring days away from work during 2019. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 280.
Fatal occupational injuriesFatal work injuries totaled 843 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers during 2019, compared to 831 during 2018.
SourcesWage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program. Injury and illness information come from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). For more information on SOII and CFOI program concepts and definitions see the SOII Handbook of Methods and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.
Last Modified Date: February 3, 2021 |