The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector was 5.4% (not seasonally adjusted) in March 2024 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These data have been updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS) Unemployment in Transportation dashboard. In March 2024, the transportation sector unemployment rate rose 0.4 percentage points from 5.0% in March 2023 and was above the pre-pandemic March 2019 level of 3.9%. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020.

Unemployment in the transportation sector was higher than overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in March 2024 was 3.9% or 1.5 percentage points below the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in March 2024 was 3.8%.

Seasonally adjusted, employment in the transportation and warehousing sector remained virtually unchanged at 6,540,500 in March 2024 from the previous month from the previous month but down 0.5% from March 2023. Employment in transportation and warehousing grew 17.1% in March 2024 from the pre-pandemic March 2019 level of 5,584,700. By mode (seasonally adjusted):

  • Air transportation rose to 572,500 in March 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 5.5% from March 2023.
  • Truck transportation rose to 1,558,900 in March 2024 — up 0.3% from the previous month but down 1.2% from March 2023.
  • Transit and ground passenger transportation remained virtually unchanged in March 2024 at 432,000 from the previous month but up 0.8% from March 2023.
  • Rail transportation rose to 153,400 in March 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 0.9% from March 2023.
  • Water transportation rose to 74,300 in March 2024 — up 2.1% from the previous month and up 9.4% from March 2023.
  • Pipeline transportation rose to 53,100 in March 2024 — up 0.2% from the previous month and up 2.1% from March 2023.
  • Warehousing and storage fell to 1,757,200 in March 2024 — down 0.3% from the previous month and down 3.4% from March 2023.