Related: Trucking Loses 6,800 Jobs in March
Economic Watch: Employers Add Fewer Jobs in April Than March
Private sector, non-farm employment increased by less than 200,000 jobs in April for the second straight month, according to a new report released Wednesday.

Change in non-farm private employment, month-to-month. Graphic: ADP

Change in non-farm private employment, month-to-month. Graphic: ADP
Private sector, non-farm employment increased by less than 200,000 jobs in April for the second straight month, according to a new report released Wednesday.
The ADP National Employment Report shows employment increased by 169,000 jobs from the month before, slightly less than March’s final number of a 175,000 jobs increase and down from a first reported 189,000 gain.
April also marks the fifth straight month job creation has moved lower from the previous month after hitting a level of 284,000 in November 2014, the second highest monthly level seen last year.
“Fallout from the collapse of oil prices and the surging value of the dollar are weighing on job creation,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “Employment in the energy sector and manufacturing is declining. However, this should prove temporary and job growth will reaccelerate this summer.”
Goods-producing employment declined by 1,000 jobs in April, down from 3,000 jobs gained in March. The construction industry added 23,000 jobs, up from 21,000 last month. Meanwhile, manufacturing lost 10,000 jobs in April, after losing 3,000 in March.
Service-providing employment rose by 170,000 jobs in April, down slightly from 172,000 in March. The report shows that professional/business services contributed 34,000 jobs in April, up from March’s 28,000. Expansion in trade/transportation/utilities grew by 44,000, up from March’s 41,000. The 7,000 new jobs added in financial activities is a drop from last month’s 12,000.
Payrolls for businesses with 49 or fewer employees increased by 94,000 jobs in April, down from 105,000 in March. Employment among companies with 50-499 employees increased by 70,000 jobs, up from 64,000 the previous month. Employment gains at large companies, those with 500 or more employees, decreased slightly from March, adding 5,000 jobs in April, down from 6,000. Companies with 500-999 employees added no jobs, after adding just 2,000 in March. Companies with over 1,000 employees added 5,000 jobs, a small improvement from 4,000 the previous month.
The ADP National Employment Report is based on ADP payroll data, representing 411,000 U.S. clients employing nearly 24 million workers the country.
The report comes as federal unemployment/employment numbers are set for release on Friday morning. Labor Department figures last month show 126,000 jobs were added in March, far below the level from the month before, with the unemployment rate remaining at 5.5%.
More Fleet Management

What the U.S.-Canada Trade War Means for Trucking
Escalating U.S.-Canada tariffs could disrupt cross-border freight, reduce truck volumes, raise costs, and create new uncertainty for carriers on both sides of the border.
Read More →
What Are Trucking’s Top Concerns for 2026?
The American Transportation Research Institute wants to know what's worrying trucking fleet managers, drivers, and other stakeholders in its annual Industry Issues survey.
Read More →
American Trucking Associations Looks for a New Leader
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear abruptly left his job at the association on August 21, at a pivotal time for the trucking industry.
Read More →
Public Wi-Fi Cybersecurity Risks: How Truck Drivers and Fleets Can Protect Their Data
Public Wi-Fi can expose truck drivers and fleets to credential theft, malware, and other cyber threats. Here’s how to reduce the risk on the road.
Read More →
For Nicky Cupp, Fleet Innovation Starts With Frustration
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Nicky Cupp turns everyday pain points at Fraley & Schilling into opportunities for better technology and smarter processes.
Read More →
Adam Buttgenbach’s Approach to Electric Trucks: Start With Where They Fit
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Adam Buttgenbach helped PepsiCo build one of North America’s largest EV fleets by focusing on where electric trucks make operational sense.
Read More →
Deen Albert: Let Automation Do the Math, People Make the Decisions
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Deen Albert makes sure people are still at the heart of operations at Grand Island Express, even while adopting artificial intelligence tools. AI-assisted dispatch helped boost revenue 25% with the same number of trucks.
Read More →Trimble’s New AI Agent Takes Aim at Fleet Back-Office Busywork
Arc Agent works across Trimble TMS products to automate repetitive tasks such as freight orders, maintenance, invoices, fuel costs and more.
Read More →
How HDT’s 2026 Truck Fleet Innovators Are Rethinking Fleet Operations
Meet five trucking leaders who are challenging assumptions, solving operational problems, and putting innovative ideas to work.
Read More →
Tight Trucking Capacity Pushes Rates Higher Even as Freight Volumes Fall
“Spot rates moving ahead of contract rates have historically signaled a tightening market, but we haven’t seen a capacity-driven market quite like this one,” said DAT's Dean Croke.
Read More →
