Trucking HR Canada’s most recent labour market information shows truck driver vacancies are flattening and returning to normal levels after the post-COVID surge.
The data for the first quarter of 2025 show that the average number of vacant truck driver positions was just over 13,900, down 5.3% from pre-COVID levels when it averaged almost 14,700 job vacancies annually from 2015 to 2019. In truck transportation, the average number of job vacancies in 2024 was 3.9% lower than pre-COVID levels.
“Despite the drop, the industry’s job vacancy rate is 1.5 times higher than the average across the Canadian economy,” says Craig Faucette, Chief Program Officer, THRC. “Job vacancies for transport truck drivers rose slightly in Q1, compared to the previous quarter but continue to moderate year-over-year.”
The new Q1 2025 data show the average number of job vacancies for drivers rose slightly in Q1, compared to Q4 2024 but remained 24% lower year-over-year (Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024).
The vacancy rate for truck drivers in Q1 2025 was 3.5%, down from 4.6% in Q1 2024.
More highlights from the report:
- The number of Q1 2025 vacancies in the truck transportation industry was down by 23% year-over-year.
- The average vacancy rate — the proportion of all jobs that are currently vacant — was 4.1% in Q1 2025, down from 5.3% in Q1 2024.
- While overall demand for workers may be declining, trucking employers may still struggle to find the workers they need.
Trucking HR Canada is the recognized national authority on workforce strategy for the trucking and logistics sector. We’re a non-profit centre of excellence, engaging with employers, governments, think tanks, industry groups, and stakeholders.