Truckers Hit the Brakes: Thousands Quit the Road as Post-Pandemic Demand Drops

Demand for truck drivers surged during the pandemic, but many who answered the call by becoming independent owner-operators are now struggling to pay their bills, NBC News reports.

Since October 2022, 15,000 trucking companies have shut down, according to freight and analytics firm DAT. Most of them were owner-operators with just one truck.

Americans hunkered down during the pandemic and ordered more of just about everything online, from groceries to furniture and electronics. That resulted in bottlenecks at shipping ports, logistics centers and warehouses. One of the solutions was more truckers.