Employment in Canada’s trucking and logistics sector declined year over year in March, with truck driver jobs seeing the sharpest drop, according to new data from Trucking HR Canada (THRC).

The sector employed 13,400 fewer workers in March 2026 compared to the same month last year, a 1.8% decline. Employment of transport truck drivers fell by 7.3% (or 23,600 jobs) over the same period.

“These employment numbers are part of a trend of decreasing employment, especially for truck drivers, compared to the previous year,” says Craig Faucette, THRC chief operating officer. “The decline in employment, including driver employment, underscores the importance of targeted workforce strategies, and THRC is committed to providing the insights and solutions employers need to respond effectively.” 

Despite the year-over-year decline, employment in the sector saw a slight monthly increase. The trucking and logistics workforce reached 739,800 in March, up 0.5% from February. However, truck driver employment fell 2.6% month over month to 301,500.

The number of workers who were unemployed but actively seeking jobs in the trucking and logistics sector in March 2026 was 42,600, up 6% from February and down 7.2% compared to March last year. For truck drivers, the unemployment rate reached 20,300 in March of 2026, up 1,600 drivers from the previous month but 2,200 fewer year over year. 

Overall, while the unemployment rate across Canada remained steady at 6.7%, the trucking and logistics sector’s rate was 5.4%, up from 5.2% in February but down from 5.7% in March 2025.