Canada’s experienced driver supply shrinks across trucking industry
Ottawa ON (May 25, 2026) — Trucking and logistics saw the fourth straight month with a year-over-year drop in employment, according to new data shared by Trucking HR Canada.
The number of drivers actively seeking work in April 2026 declined by 900 people compared to April 2025, which indicates the total supply of drivers is shrinking.
In April 2026, employment in Canadian trucking and logistics dipped slightly by 1,800 jobs year-over-year, with unemployment rates dropping from 6.0% in April 2025 to 5.5% this year.
“We’re seeing a drop in supply of experienced drivers — those who are employed and unemployed — since this time last year,” says Craig Faucette, Chief Operating Officer, Trucking HR Canada. “This points to the importance of employers continuing to focus on retention and training, as well as workforce development strategies to maintain capacity.”
Further, there were 4,400 fewer workers actively looking for employment in our sector in April 2026 than in April 2025, a drop of 9.2% year-over-year. For transport truck drivers, employment fell by 7.3% in April 2026 compared to April 2025 (down 23,600 positions) while the unemployment rate rose from 6.4% to 6.7%.
Across Canada’s labour market in general, employment edged up slightly (0.3%) when compared to April 2025. The average unemployment rate sat at 6.9% in April 2026, unchanged from April 2025.
More details:
Employment
- April 2026 employment in trucking and logistics was 750,600, down 0.2% or 1,800 jobs year-over-year
- Employment for transport truck drivers dropped by 23,600 jobs or 7.4% compared to April 2025
- Occupations experiencing the highest year-over-year growth in April 2026 were material handlers, adding 10,500 jobs, and couriers and delivery service drivers, adding 17,000 jobs
Unemployment
- There were 4,400 fewer people seeking work in trucking and logistics in April 2026 compared to April 2025
- April 2026 unemployment rate among transport truck drivers was 6.7% up from 6.4% in April 2025
- Despite the increase in their unemployment rate, there were 900 fewer drivers actively seeking work in April 2026, compared to the previous year
See all our labour market reports.
Trucking HR Canada is the recognized national authority on workforce strategy for the trucking and logistics sector. We’re a non-profit centre of excellence, engaging with employers, governments, think tanks, industry groups, and stakeholders.
Media contact: comms@truckinghr.com
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