American truckers' wages have dropped by more than $50,000 since 1980, creating one of the industry's biggest problems

According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earned, on average, $50,340 in 2021. The wage decrease is dizzying, considering how essential the trucking industry is to the US economy, and it is contributing to making trucking a hard, dangerous job with a high turnover rate.