The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that the unemployment rate of the U.S. transportation sector has risen to 4.8 percent, which is not seasonally adjusted in November 2024.
The data has been updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS) Unemployment in Transportation dashboard.
In November 2024, the transportation sector unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points from 4.5% in November 2023 and was above the pre-pandemic November 2019 level of 3.3%. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020.
BLS reports that unemployment in the transportation sector was higher than overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in November 2024 was 4.0% or 0.8 percentage points below the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in November 2024 was 4.2%.
Additionally, seasonally adjusted, employment in the transportation and warehousing sector rose to 6,627,200 in November 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 1.4% from November 2023.
Employment in transportation and warehousing grew 15.5% in November 2024 from the pre-pandemic November 2019 level of 5,735,900. By mode (seasonally adjusted):
- Air transportation rose to 574,800 in November 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 1.6% from November 2023.
- Truck transportation rose to 1,548,700 in November 2024 — up 0.2% from the previous month but down 0.1% from November 2023.
- Transit and ground passenger transportation rose to 454,700 in November 2024 — up 0.4% from the previous month and up 5.7% from November 2023.
- Rail transportation remained virtually unchanged in November 2024 at 150,000 from the previous month but down 1.8% from November 2023.
- Water transportation fell to 73,600 in November 2024 — down 0.5% from the previous month but up 3.7% from November 2023.
- Pipeline transportation rose to 54,600 in November 2024 — up 0.4% from the previous month and up 4.8% from November 2023.
- Warehousing and storage fell to 1,772,200 in November 2024 — down 0.1% from the previous month but remained unchanged from November 2023.
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Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
