The open road is an alluring thing. Jump behind the wheel, turn on your favourite music and just drive!

See new places, new things and just generally enjoy the experience. Many people love this. Some actually make it a career. Actually LOTS of people do! The truck driving industry is a major employer in Canada. The trucking industry plays a vital role in the Canadian economy, transporting goods to businesses and consumers across the country. According to Statistics Canada, there were over 400,000 people employed in the trucking industry in 2020, making it one of Canada’s largest employers.

Truck drivers make up a significant portion of the workforce in the trucking industry. In 2020, there were over 250,000 truck drivers in Canada, representing about 62% of the total trucking industry workforce. Truck driving is an important career that plays a crucial role in keeping the economy moving. But is it still a wise career choice to get into the truck driving industry? One word – Absolutely!

Truck drivers can work in a variety of roles and industries that involve the transportation of goods by truck. Some common jobs for truck drivers include:

1. Long-haul truck driver: These drivers transport goods over long distances, often crossing state or provincial borders. They may be gone for several days or weeks at a time.

2. Local truck driver: These drivers transport goods within a specific region or city. They may make deliveries or pick-ups at various locations within a set area.

3. Delivery truck driver: These drivers transport goods to businesses or homes for delivery. They may make multiple stops in a day and may be required to load and unload their own deliveries.

4. Heavy truck driver: These drivers operate large trucks, such as tanker trucks or flatbed trucks, which may require a specialized license.

Truck drivers may also work in industries such as construction, manufacturing, retail, and warehousing, among others. Some truck drivers may choose to work as independent contractors, while others may work for a trucking company or other organization. The Government of Canada released a report in December of 2021 showing that the prospects over the next 3 years for transport drivers are a 3 stars out of 3, which is their highest possible rating for the Ontario regions they looked at.

It also indicated out that there is a higher percentage of full time jobs in the transport driver industry when compared to the average of all occupations, so there seems to be plenty of work. The report also commented comment on future prospects for transport drivers and stated they expect a severe labour SHORTAGE for transport truck drivers in Canada over the next 10 years. Also when it came to main trends affecting employment the report indicated improved economic growth and manufacturing, growth in e-commerce as well as large infrastructure projects in Ontario all bode well for transport drivers future employment.