Headline risk
4%
Very Low RiskHeavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.
Task evidence
96% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 57,440
Employment 2024
2235.1K
Projected Change (2024–34)
4.0%
Openings (2024–34)
237.6K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order. AI use: 0%
- 2. Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles. AI use: 0%
- 3. Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations. AI use: 0%
- 4. Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks. AI use: 0%
- 5. Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned. AI use: 0%
- 6. Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.8 · 640K employed
Under 25: 10% · 25–54: 71% · 55+: 19%
Related
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
crosswalk_exact · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another.
Working as a long-haul truck driver is a lifestyle choice because these drivers can be away from home for days or weeks at a time.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers usually have a high school diploma and attend a professional truck driving school. They must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
The median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $57,440 in May 2024.
Employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.