Private Fleets Continue to Outpace Trucking in Driver Employment

May 06, 2025 at 03:29 PM CST
Private fleets have long dominated the employment of light-duty truck drivers, although the revolution in home delivery has cut private fleets’ share of those drivers from about two-thirds traditionally to barely more than half today, assuming we consider parcel and local delivery businesses to be “for-hire.” In the employment of heavy truck drivers — those operating Class 7-8 vehicles — private fleets historically have trailed for-hire operations by a wide margin. But that’s changing. Private fleets began to close the gap in the latter part of the last decade. In recent years, they have employed more heavy truck drivers than for-hire trucking companies have (at least as they are defined by the federal government.)

May 06, 2025 at 03:29 PM CST

Private fleets have long dominated the employment of light-duty truck drivers, although the revolution in home delivery has cut private fleets’ share of those drivers from about two-thirds traditionally to barely more than half today, assuming we consider parcel and local delivery businesses to be “for-hire.”

In the employment of heavy truck drivers — those operating Class 7-8 vehicles — private fleets historically have trailed for-hire operations by a wide margin. But that’s changing.

Private fleets began to close the gap in the latter part of the last decade. In recent years, they have employed more heavy truck drivers than for-hire trucking companies have (at least as they are defined by the federal government.)