Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Big Job Gains in April, Reports U.S. Labor Department

Job creation overall in the United States as well as in trucking both posted solid gains in April according to a new report, leading to a surge on Wall Street as well as an increase in the price of oil.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
May 3, 2013
2 min to read


Job creation overall in the United States as well as in trucking both posted solid gains in April according to a new report, leading to a surge on Wall Street as well as an increase in the price of oil.

The U.S. Labor Department says the unemployment rate fell to 7.5%, its lowest level in four-years. The addition of 165,000 jobs in April follows the department upwardly revising March employment gains from an originally reported 88,000 to 138,000.

Ad Loading...

The increase in the April employment number was better than a median forecast from economists, with some saying the showing is evidence the federal sequester of automatic budget cuts has not been as damaging as some have feared. Others point out that despite more addition of more jobs, the unemployment rate is still too high.

In trucking, 11,600 jobs were added in April, following a loss of 6,300 the month before. The increase is the largest since February 2012. Total trucking employment in April is up 3.4% from the same time a year earlier. The trucking numbers include jobs in only the for-hire sector and not those with private fleets or trucking jobs in other fields such as construction. ATA economist Bob Costello described the job gains in trucking over the past three years as “significant.”

The jobs report led to a rally on Wall Street, with both the Dow Jones industrial and S&P 500 indices hitting intraday record highs as investors welcomed the news following a few weeks of disappointing economic data. This also led to a rise in crude prices in New York trading after it came close to falling below the $90 a barrel mark earlier in the week

Ad Loading...

The news about unemployment follow several other economic reports from the past few days:

  • The U.S. Commerce Department says new factory orders fell in March by 4%, the biggest decline since August. A separate report shows total U.S. construction spending fell in March 1.7% after posting a 1.5% gain the month before.

  • The private group, The Conference Board, says consumer confidence in April jumped significantly following a March drop.

  • A week ago the Commerce Department said the U.S. gross domestic product during the final quarter of last year increased at an annual rate of 2.5%, up significantly from previously estimated 0.4% and a 0.1% annual rate.

More Fleet Management

Mobile tablet showing Motus screen against highway background with Motus logo

FMCSA’s Motus System Is Coming. What Fleets Need to Know Now

FMCSA's long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls. And there are steps you need to take by May 14.

Read More →
Fleet Advantage Generative AI study.

Fleet Advantage: Fleets Embrace Generative AI, but Data Problems Limit Operational Gains

New Fleet Advantage research shows generative AI adoption has exploded among private fleets. But poor data integration and weak ROI tracking are preventing fleets from unlocking AI’s full operational and financial value.

Read More →
Phillips Connect extends Nussbaum trailer life.

How Phillips Connect Helped Nussbaum Transportation Double its Trailer Life

Seven years into deploying Phillips Connect’s smart trailer platform, Nussbaum Transportation has extended trailer life from 10 to 15 years.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Lance Evans, Director of Safety at K&B Transportation.

Inside Modern Fleet Safety: AI, Cameras & Speed Control at K&B Transportation

How a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.

Read More →
TEN disaster prep.
Fleet ManagementMay 1, 2026

How Fleets Can Avoid Equipment Blind Spots in Disaster Response

When the unexpected happens, how you react to, and deal with operational blind spots is critical. Here’s how to keep you recovery on track, when nothing is normal.

Read More →
Illustration of cybersecurity images with "The Cyber Stop" text
Fleet Managementby Ben WilkensApril 30, 2026

AI Security Risks for Trucking Fleets: What to Know About Deepfakes and Agentic AI

As fleets adopt artificial intelligence for routing, maintenance, and load matching, new security risks are emerging. Learn where the vulnerabilities are and how to put the right controls in place.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
CargoNet 2026 Qi report.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 24, 2026

Cargo Theft Incidents Fall in Q1, but Organized Crime and Impersonation Drive New Risks

CargoNet reports fewer supply chain crime events to start 2026. But losses hold steady as organized crime shifts tactics toward impersonation schemes and high-value goods.

Read More →
Graphic with light bulbs, HDT Truck Fleet Innovators logo, and the word Nominations
Fleet ManagementApril 24, 2026

Nominations Open for HDT Truck Fleet Innovators 2026

Heavy Duty Trucking is searching for forward-looking leaders at trucking fleets as nominations for HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators 2026. Deadline is May 15.

Read More →
Illustration with trojan horse and lock with inside of cargo container in background
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 23, 2026

New Trojan Driver Cargo Theft Scam Bypasses Carrier Vetting Systems

Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ATA Truck Tonnage Index March 2026.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseApril 22, 2026

March Truck Tonnage Posts Strongest Annual Gain Since 2022

A modest sequential increase capped the strongest quarterly performance in years, signaling continued freight momentum in early 2026.

Read More →