The driver hiring landscape is changing, and the trends across major job boards tell a difficult story. Engagement is dropping, and carriers are spending more time and resources without seeing the results they once did. In a market filled with hesitation and uncertainty, traditional recruiting tactics are not delivering the consistent outcomes fleets need.
Carriers across the country are telling us the same thing, and the data aligns with what they are experiencing. Our teams monitor market trends, and we use that insight to support carriers with solutions that can work in any environment.
Job board data reflects a quieter driver market, with Indeed reporting a 9.9 percent year over year decline in job postings within the Driving category. This is a strong indicator that fewer drivers are actively searching for new roles across major platforms. Many drivers are choosing stability and are cautious about changing employers in the current economic climate.
This slowdown is reflected in national labor trends as well. The U.S. labor force shrank by 625,000 workers in May and another 130,000 in June, signaling fewer people actively searching for new opportunities. When fewer workers are entering the job market, application activity drops across all industries, including transportation.
Lower engagement makes it harder for carriers to keep roles filled and puts added pressure on hiring teams.
Carriers are refreshing ads, boosting bids, and increasing budgets in the hope of regaining traction. The challenge is that a shrinking audience cannot be fixed by simply spending more. A limited number of active job seekers leads to diminishing returns, regardless of how much is invested in visibility.
Job board performance data shows this clearly. For transportation and warehousing roles, the median cost-per-click has increased an estimated 28% from the beginning of the year, now reaching $1.15. At the same time, Easy Apply completion rates have fallen by more than 5 percentage points. Carriers are spending more to advertise their jobs while receiving less engagement in return.
These patterns are reshaping the hiring landscape and making job boards a far less reliable channel for sourcing drivers. Many carriers tell us they are increasing spend without seeing a return. Job boards alone are simply not producing the volume or quality of candidates needed to stay fully staffed.
The broader hiring environment is evolving, and these challenges are being felt in multiple ways.
Carriers now compete for a smaller pool of active drivers, which increases acquisition costs and makes it harder for job postings to stand out.
A cooling job market, fewer job openings in other industries, and cost-saving measures such as hiring freezes have created caution among workers. Wage growth in trucking has also flattened compared to earlier years, which reduces the incentive for drivers to switch carriers.
National workforce surveys show that many job seekers worry their applications may be screened out by automated systems before a human ever sees them. Even though trucking relies less on AI filtering than other sectors, this perception influences behavior across the job market.
Job boards are also adjusting their algorithms and user experience, which affects how driver applications flow into the hiring pipeline. Many of the tactics that once produced full applications are now limited or deprioritized. As these platforms shift toward lead generation rather than completed applications, carriers are forced to work more partial leads and spend additional time on follow-up.
This creates new challenges, including increased workload, the need for more internal resources, and heavier reliance on follow-up teams. As a result, the path from job posting to full application is longer and less predictable than it used to be.
The good news is that carriers do not have to rely solely on job boards. TransForce maintains an active, engaged pool of qualified CDL drivers who are ready to work now. These drivers have already been vetted and screened, which allows carriers to move quickly without the delays and unpredictability of job board recruiting.
Speed and certainty are essential when job seeker activity is inconsistent, and our model is designed to provide both. Our goal is to be the partner that carriers can rely on when job boards slow down, and internal pipelines become thin.
We are committed to helping carriers navigate this market with confidence. Whether you need long-term staffing or short-term support, we are here to strengthen your workforce and keep your fleet running.
The job board landscape will continue to evolve, and economic uncertainty will continue to influence driver behavior. You do not have to navigate these challenges alone. TransForce understands the frustration of rising recruitment costs and reduced engagement, and we are ready to support carriers with reliable workforce solutions that deliver results.
If you are looking for a more predictable way to staff your fleet and want a partner who understands the realities of today’s hiring climate, we would love to connect. Reach out today to learn how TransForce can support your hiring needs.
Sources:
Recruitonomics “Transportation & Warehousing Snapshot – Q3 2025” (October 16 2025).
Indeed Hiring Lab “2025 Q3 US Transportation Labor Market Update” (November 2025)