Light Truck Drivers

High Risk
Low High

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Occupation snapshot

What does this snowflake show?
The Snowflake is a visual summary of the five badges: Automation Risk (calculated), Risk (polled), Growth, Wages and Volume. It gives you an instant snapshot of an occupations profile. The colour of the Snowflake relates to its size. The better the occupation scores in relation to others, the larger and greener the Snowflake becomes.
JOB SCORE
4.0/10
What's this?
Job Score (higher is better):

We rate jobs using four factors. These are:

- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions

These are some key things to think about when job hunting.

Risk & user votes

Calculated automation risk

65% (High Risk)

High Risk (61-80%): This occupation shows a significant risk of end-to-end replacement by automation. Many core parts of the role may be structured, repeatable, software-driven, or physically predictable enough for AI, machines, or robotic systems to take over. If you work in this area, it may be worth exploring safer related careers or moving towards more human-centred responsibilities.

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.

Human strengths important in this job

These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.

Working directly with the public

Quite important
Why this matters
The job involves face-to-face interaction with customers, clients, or guests—answering questions, handling requests, and managing service situations in real time. Roles with frequent public interaction are harder to replace end-to-end because they rely on trust, communication, and adapting to unpredictable human needs.
Jobs that also use this strength

Decision-making and problem solving

Quite important
Why this matters
Analyze information, weigh tradeoffs, and choose the best solution—especially when situations are ambiguous, high-stakes, or have real-world consequences.
Jobs that also use this strength

What users think

Based on 164 votes

62% chance of full automation within the next two decades

Our visitors have voted that it's probable this occupation will be automated. This assessment is further supported by the calculated automation risk level, which estimates 65% chance of automation.

What do you think the risk of automation is?

What is the likelihood that Light Truck Drivers will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?

Sentiment

Based on user votes over time

View sentiment trend

How opinions have changed over time

Pay & outlook

Wages

Very low paid relative to other professions

In 2024, the median annual wage for Light Truck Drivers was $44,140 ($21 per hour).

The median annual wage for Light Truck Drivers was 10.8% lower than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.

View wage trend

Wages over time

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Growth

Very fast growth relative to other professions

The number of 'Light Truck Drivers' job openings is expected to rise 7.3% by 2034

View employment trend

Total employment, and estimated job openings

* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2023 and 2033
Updated projections are due 09-2025.

Volume

Significantly greater range of job opportunities compared to other professions

As of 2024 there were 994,410 people employed as 'Light Truck Drivers' within the United States.

This represents around 0.6% of the employed workforce across the country

Put another way, around 1 in 155 people are employed as 'Light Truck Drivers'.

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What people are saying (7)

Leave a comment
Xi Huang (Low)
27 Mar 2025 12:22
Even with self driving technology, which is still unproven and dangerous, most companies will want some human involvement in the case that the Trucks AI stops working. If a sensor is broken or a software update is missed while the Truck is 400 miles from the nearest place for repairs, a human driver would still be used. Perhaps wages will contract but we are farther away from fully autonomous driving than many other jobs.
Robert (No chance)
04 Sep 2024 03:55
The tech does not prove to be fully capable nor in enough abundance to complete this task. The glossy promos and tech demos look great, and even small area rollouts look promising but always fail to address scale. Most importantly they do not account for rapid changes in industry or human malice.
Bob
28 Jul 2024 22:19
Who is going to load and unload frieght? Who is going to make sure straps/chains dont get loose during transit? Who's going to put chains on tires in the winter? Whos going to refuel/recharge the trucks? Who's going to stop theives from breaking into the trailer if no diver in truck? Will A.I. be able to drive off-road like for oil tankers? When a truck is loading/unloading, shippers and recievers often want you in a very specific space. How will you tell A.I. where to go? Driving will become automated, however I believe most trucks will still require someone sitting in the cab and taking over when they need to.
Maciej Leqen (Highly likely)
02 Dec 2021 14:57
Just Look at tesla autopilot
Jose Luis Espert (Highly likely)
04 Aug 2021 00:03
In all driving jobs, robots will be far more reliable than humans, as well as more effective, since they don´t need time to sleep. At first, I think that they will replace long-trip workers, however, the change could happen immediately.
Paul
21 Dec 2020 20:38
I can understand people’s concerns with linehaul or warehouse/fulfilment centre work being automated, but delivery driver automation? Doubtful. I’ve done residential and business deliveries for major delivery companies, and there are too many variables for current technology to thrive in these situations. Maybe a few decades from now we will see robots capable of taking over this job.
Archived Knowledge (Highly likely)
19 Apr 2020 11:31
We are closing in on having autonomous trucks, and already have small autonomous take away robots, replacing human-to-human deliveries.
Leave a reply about this occupation
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Job description

Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.

O*NET-SOC code: 53-3033.00