The trucking industry faces a growing driver shortage, mainly due to an aging workforce and fewer younger drivers entering the field.

As freight demand rises, companies struggle to find enough qualified drivers, limiting their ability to grow.If current demographic trends continue, the shortage of truck drivers could reach 111,000 by the end of the year. Over the next decade, the trucking industry will need to hire a total of 890,000 new drivers, or an average of 89,000 per year.

Most new hires will replace retiring drivers (45%), with industry growth making up 33%. The average truck driver in the U.S. is over 50 years old, and drivers aged 55 or older have increased by 19% since 2000.

Older drivers often have strong safety records, but age affects people differently.

There is no maximum age for truck drivers, but all must meet medical standards.

Managers must decide when a driver can no longer operate safely.

Best practices include:

A CDL is not needed to drive a straight truck under 26,001 pounds with air brakes, but some states may require a chauffeur’s license.

A Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) that requires a CDL is defined as:

A CMV is a vehicle used in commerce to transport people or goods if it:

• Has a combined weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more (including towed units over 10,000 pounds)
• Has a vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more
• Is designed to transport 16+ passengers
• Is any size and transports hazardous materials

Some states require a chauffeur’s license for vehicles between 10,000 and 26,001 pounds.

There’s no “air brake endorsement,” only an air brake restriction if a driver fails that part of the CDL test or uses a truck without air brakes during testing.

Certain crimes disqualify drivers from getting a HazMat endorsement.

Conviction of these crimes leads to disqualification:

• Terrorism
• Assault with intent to murder
• Murder
• Espionage
• Sedition
• Kidnapping or hostage-taking
• Treason
• Rape or aggravated sexual abuse
• Extortion
• Robbery
• Arson
• Bribery
• Smuggling
• Immigration violations
• RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) violations
• Unlawful possession, use, sale, distribution, or manufacture of explosives, firearms, or other weapons
• Distribution, intent to distribute, possession, or importation of a controlled substance
• Dishonesty, fraud, or misrepresentation (including identity fraud)
• Crimes involving a severe transportation security incident
• Improper transportation of hazardous materials
• Conspiracy or attempt to commit any of the above crimes

All HazMat drivers must complete a Security Threat Assessment, ideally starting 90 days before license expiration.

Start the process here:

https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/hazmat-endorsement

For more on distracted driving, see:

http://safety.nsc.org/ddam

https://www.enddd.org/

Highways are dangerous; everyone must focus on safety.

All states have “Move Over” laws to protect emergency responders, but many drivers are unaware, and traffic incidents remain a top cause of officer deaths.

NHTSA and partners are working to raise awareness of these laws to protect first responders.

Help spread the word to make roads safer for everyone.

Learn more here:

https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/first-responder-safety/move-over

Registration is now open for the 2026 Idealease/NPTC Safety Seminars

• 4/23/2026 - Mobile, AL
• 4/28/2026 - Pleasanton, CA
• 4/30/2026 - Tempe, AZ
• 5/7/2026 - Sun Prairie, WI
• 5/28/2026 - Tampa, FL
• 6/9/2026 - Baton Rouge, LA
• 6/11/2026 - Aurora, CO
• 9/15/2026 - DePere, WI
• 9/17/2026 - Southfield, MI
• 10/8/2026 - Oxnard, CA
• 10/20/2026 - Nashville, TN
• 11/10/2026 - Linthicum Heights, MD