Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
SOC Code: 53-3032
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers carries a 43% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $57,440 and +4.0% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 2,235,100 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 43% AI exposure, Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers sits 6 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 76% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
47/100
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage D $57,440
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B- +4.0%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 43% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Average (378/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
43% Higher than most higher than 76% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 53-3032) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.
- 2. Follow appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.
- 3. Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- 4. Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
- 5. Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
- 6. Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
- 7. Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
- 8. Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
- 9. Read bills of lading to determine assignment details.
- 10. Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
Key Skills Required
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Troubleshooting
- Time Management
- Active Listening
- Equipment Maintenance
Knowledge Areas
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Law and Government
- Mechanical
- Telecommunications
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers has an AI exposure score of 43%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow by 4.0% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 2,235,100 workers.
What skills are needed for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Key skills for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, and others. Typical entry-level education is Postsecondary nondegree award.
How much do Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn?
The median annual wage for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is $57,440, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The typical entry-level education for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is Postsecondary nondegree award. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (43% here).
- Adult basic education, adult secondary education, and english as a second language instructors · AI exposure 43%
- Chief executives · AI exposure 43%
- Coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers · AI exposure 43%
- Correctional officers and jailers · AI exposure 43%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.0% here).
- Aircraft mechanics and service technicians · growth +4.0%
- Environmental science and protection technicians, including health · growth +4.0%
- Film and video editors · growth +4.0%
- Physicists · growth +4.0%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 19 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).