“Trucking ain’t what it used to be.”
Is this true?
People tend to think that world was a better place when they were younger. In fact, this mentality is so common that it has a name: declinism. Simply put, declinism is the human tendency to see the future pessimistically and the past favorably.
Of course, there are times when the past really was bad. Soldiers who’ve lived through awful battles aren’t pessimistic when they tell the tales of war.
But what about trucking? Has trucking changed over the years?
An even better question: Have truckers changed over the years?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at the numbers.
Trucker Demographics through the Years
First, it’s important to understand what the average trucker is like in 2023. It’s important to remember that among the 3.5 million truck drivers on the road, these stats are only averages.
- Truckers today are 84.5% male and 15.7% female.
- On average, a trucker is 47 years old.
- As of this writing, the average salary a trucker makes is $60,326.
How does this profile compare with truckers of the past?
Around 2008 – 2010, trucking looked quite different.
- Truckers then were 93.83% male and 6.62% female.
- The average age of a driver was about 41 years old.
- Truckers brought home a salary of $48,000.
In the course of 10 years, things have changed pretty drastically for our heroes behind the wheel. Trucking has become more diverse and a bit more experienced.
In response to our question, truckers have changed pretty drastically in a short period of time.
But it’s not just truckers.
A few months ago, Carrier Connection took a deep dive into what Americans really think of truckers. We won’t spoil the read, but it suffices to say that how people view truckers have also changed over the years.
So, is trucking what it used to be?
Not quite. And though CB radios and interstate diners will always be nostalgic, it may be all right that trucking is changing.
Thanks to the drivers behind the wheel, trucking may be changing for the better.
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