Click to enlarge.
The unemployment rate* in the U.S. transportation sector was 3.6% (not seasonally adjusted) in April 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said today.
“In April 2025, the transportation sector unemployment rate fell 1.1 percentage points from 4.7% in April 2024 and was just below the pre-pandemic April 2019 level of 3.7%. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020,” BLS said.
Unemployment in the transportation sector was lower than overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in April 2025 was 3.9% or 0.3 percentage points above the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in April 2025 was 4.2%. (However, this was before the chaotic Trump tariff pandemic started by his executive order – AutoCrat.)
Seasonally adjusted, employment in the transportation and warehousing sector rose to 6,794,500 in April 2025 — up 0.4% from the previous month and up 2.3% from April 2024. Employment in transportation and warehousing grew 21.0% in April 2025 from the pre-pandemic April 2019 level of 5,617,200. By mode (seasonally adjusted):
- Air transportation rose to 578,100 in April 2025 — up 0.5% from the previous month and up 2.6% from April 2024.
- Truck transportation rose to 1,524,500 in April 2025 — up 0.1% from the previous month but down 0.3% from April 2024.
- Transit and ground passenger transportation rose to 489,900 in April 2025 — up 0.4% from the previous month and up 4.7% from April 2024.
- Rail transportation rose to 153,800 in April 2025 — up 0.1% from the previous month but down 2.6% from April 2024.
- Water transportation fell to 69,600 in April 2025 — down 0.4% from the previous month and down 1.1% from April 2024.
- Pipeline transportation rose to 59,800 in April 2025 — up 1.4% from the previous month and up 9.3% from April 2024.
- Warehousing and storage rose to 1,853,400 in April 2025 — up 0.5% from the previous month and up 0.2% from April 2024.
*The unemployment rate is the total number of unemployed persons, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force. The civilian labor force includes all persons aged 16 and older who are employed and unemployed; meaning they are either currently working or actively looking for work. Unemployed persons include those who actively sought a job within the last four weeks. People waiting to start a new job who have not actively sought a job in the last four weeks are not counted as employed or unemployed; they are considered by BLS to be out of the labor force.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
April 2025 Transportation Sector Unemployment Falls
Click to enlarge.
The unemployment rate* in the U.S. transportation sector was 3.6% (not seasonally adjusted) in April 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said today.
“In April 2025, the transportation sector unemployment rate fell 1.1 percentage points from 4.7% in April 2024 and was just below the pre-pandemic April 2019 level of 3.7%. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020,” BLS said.
Unemployment in the transportation sector was lower than overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in April 2025 was 3.9% or 0.3 percentage points above the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in April 2025 was 4.2%. (However, this was before the chaotic Trump tariff pandemic started by his executive order – AutoCrat.)
Seasonally adjusted, employment in the transportation and warehousing sector rose to 6,794,500 in April 2025 — up 0.4% from the previous month and up 2.3% from April 2024. Employment in transportation and warehousing grew 21.0% in April 2025 from the pre-pandemic April 2019 level of 5,617,200. By mode (seasonally adjusted):
*The unemployment rate is the total number of unemployed persons, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force. The civilian labor force includes all persons aged 16 and older who are employed and unemployed; meaning they are either currently working or actively looking for work. Unemployed persons include those who actively sought a job within the last four weeks. People waiting to start a new job who have not actively sought a job in the last four weeks are not counted as employed or unemployed; they are considered by BLS to be out of the labor force.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.