Trucking’s employment picture improved a bit last month; the first such gain in several months.
The for-hire trucking industry’s total employment rebounded slightly in July, gaining 1,700 jobs in the month, according to preliminary figures reported Aug. 5 by the Department of Labor’s monthly Employment Situation Report.
July’s gain was the first jobs increase since January, snapping a five-month run of jobs decreasing.
Trucking followed the overall trend of the U.S. economy, which saw employment jump by 255,000 jobs, keeping the nation’s unemployment rate at 4.9 percent.
For-hire trucking employment in the month totaled 1.455 million, according to the DOL’s figures.
The overall transportation and warehousing sector gained 11,700 jobs in the month, the DOL report notes. Manufacturing added 9,000 jobs, and construction industry employment rose by 14,000 jobs. Retailers added nearly 15,000 workers in July.
