Trucking job vacancies increased sharply in 2022: Trucking HR Canada

by Today's Trucking

Trucking HR Canada’s latest labor market information indicates Canada’s truck driver shortage is worsening, with the vacancy rate for jobs in the truck transportation industry in 2022 more than tripling since StatsCan began collecting such data in 2015.

Vacancies are also more than twice as high as in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the number of truck driver vacancies in 2022 reached an all-time high at nearly 25,600 vacant positions.

vacancies chart

The unemployment rate among transport truck drivers in 2022 was 3.4%, with a gap between the demand for, and supply of, experienced drivers at 15,200 people.

“The ongoing labor shortages in transport truck drivers and other key occupations across the trucking and logistics sector continue to threaten the stability of the Canadian supply chain,” said Craig Faucette, chief programs officer at Trucking HR Canada.

“Trucking and Logistics employers are working tirelessly to battle the labor shortages, and Trucking HR Canada is working to support their efforts through our innovative HR solutions, including online tools, and resources, interactive webinars, networking events across the country, as well financial supports for training, and wages.”

The latest Labour Market Insights Special Vacancy Report does, however, show that truck driver vacancies declined in the fourth quarter, from 7.9% in Q3, to 6.9%. But the full year 2022 vacancy rate of 8% for truck drivers was up sharply from the 5.8% vacancy rate seen in 2021.

You can read the full English report here.


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  • Yet we still have too many trucks for loads from point to point in canada in certain parts of county the ont and fed gov need a program to train and insure new truck drivers and bring hourly pay based off the elog. A lot of truck drivers are moving to other jobs for more consitant or better pay.

  • if they would want to increase of having more truck driver it is simple increase the pay because we are under paid

  • After 23 years of driving, being professional, the company I was working for insisted I ran without knowing if my axle weights were legal. “Don’t worry about the fine, we’ll pay it.” was said often. They clearly don’t have concern for my cvor.
    It got hostile, so I saw it as my que to exit the industry. I must say too, they pushed me repededly to slipseat during the height of covid.
    Horrible lifestyle, horrible treatment…..

  • Well our training schools pump out drivers but until the insurance companies start insuring the new drivers nobody can hire them, same problem. The trades people are having everybody wants 2 to 5 years experience. you can’t get experience if you can’t drive?
    Why can we not have a graduated system? Same as your ordinary drivers license?

  • Until the Trucking industry (driving part) becomes a trade, it will never become attractive. The cost of training reflects that of a trade, but getting started does not. Most drivers have to start out with a carrier that demands all and gives nothing. I grew up old school, there was nothing but the title of “Trucker” when I started in the industry. I was young and fit in most glove boxes then, but my Dads knee was better lol. Now there is nothing of the sort. Its expensive to get into with nothing but minimum wage and maximum responsibility ahead of you. Back then we got it right or got tossed out, and went back to school I guess. Now, its a $10,000 investment and hope you get a school that will teach, and not just reap the reward with your certificate, and you go on and hope there is a minimum wage job that will make you a driver. At the end of the day, it is still unattractive financially to start, as well as socially, people dont like truckers anymore.