Transportation Distribution and Logistics Overview | Career Cluster / Industry Video Series

Summary

The Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics industry focuses on efficiently moving people and goods through various methods such as trucks, airplanes, railroads, and pipelines. With over five million workers in the U.S., the industry is vital for daily life, responsible for transporting nearly 70% of freight. Despite technological advancements like driverless trucks, there is a growing demand for workers in roles like truck drivers, bus operators, and warehouse staff. Automation enhances efficiency, but skilled human workers are still essential. The industry offers competitive wages, with high growth expected in metropolitan areas like New York City, Dallas, and Los Angeles.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics industry focuses on moving people and goods quickly, safely, and at low cost.
• 🚚 Trucks are responsible for delivering nearly 70% of all freight in the U.S.
• 📦 The most commonly shipped items include food, clothing, furniture, and electronics.
• 💼 The industry employs over 5 million workers, about 3.6% of total U.S. jobs.
• 💰 The U.S. spends more than $1.64 trillion on transportation logistics annually.
• 🚛 Despite the rise of driverless trucks, there are still many unfilled job openings in transportation and warehousing.
• 👷‍♂️ Approximately 50,000 truck driver jobs are currently unfilled in the U.S.
• 🚌 There is a growing demand for school and public transit bus drivers, forklift operators, stock movers, and distribution/warehousing workers.
• 🚂 A wave of retirements in railroad and maritime workers will create additional job openings in the future.
• 🏙️ Metropolitan areas like New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago will see especially robust job growth in the industry.
• 🛰️ Automation and technologies like bar codes and GPS help increase efficiency, but workers must adapt to rapidly changing conditions and troubleshoot issues.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics industry?

The primary focus of this industry is to move people and goods from one location to another quickly, safely, and at a low cost. This involves various transportation methods including aircraft, railroads, waterways, road transport, and pipelines.

How many people are employed in the U.S. Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics industry?

The industry employs over five million workers, which constitutes about 3.6% of all U.S. jobs.

What percentage of freight in the U.S. is delivered by trucks?

Trucks deliver nearly 70% of all freight in the U.S.

What are the most commonly shipped items in the U.S.?

The most commonly shipped items in the U.S. include food, clothing, furniture, and electronics.

How much does the U.S. spend annually on transportation logistics?

The U.S. spends more than $1.64 trillion on transportation logistics each year.

What is the predicted future of driverless trucks in the industry?

Driverless trucks are expected to move freight down highways within the next 10-15 years, although there are many current job openings in transportation and warehousing.

What are some current job openings in the transportation and logistics industry?

Current job openings include positions for truck drivers, forklift operators, stock movers, school and public transit bus drivers, and distribution/warehousing workers.

How many truck driver jobs are currently unfilled in the U.S.?

There are currently 50,000 truck driver jobs unfilled in the U.S.

What areas in the U.S. are expected to see the most job growth in transportation and logistics?

Metropolitan areas where growth will be especially robust include New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago.

How does automation impact the Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics industry?

Automation helps improve efficiency in the industry, with tools like bar codes for tracking goods, automated navigation equipment for pilots, and GPS technology. However, workers must still adjust to changing conditions that technology may not be able to address quickly enough.