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Transport & Logistics · Updated Aug 2026

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
49/100
Moderate

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
40/100
Moderate

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence81/100
Task coverage85%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.High
69
Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.High
66
Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.High
69
Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.High
66
Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.High
69
Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.High
69
Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.High
69
Check conditions of trailers after contents have been unloaded to ensure that there has been no damage.High
69
Couple or uncouple trailers by changing trailer jack positions, connecting or disconnecting air or electrical lines, or manipulating fifth-wheel locks.High
69
Load or unload trucks or help others with loading or unloading, using special loading-related equipment or other equipment as necessary.High
66
Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.High
61
Wrap and secure goods using pads, packing paper, containers, or straps.Medium
69
Follow special cargo-related procedures, such as checking refrigeration systems for frozen foods or providing food or water for livestock.High
66
Operate idle reduction systems or auxiliary power systems to generate power from alternative sources, such as fuel cells, to reduce idling time, to heat or cool truck cabins, or to provide power for other equipment.Medium
57
Give directions to laborers who are packing goods and moving them onto trailers.Medium
69
Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.High
34
Inventory and inspect goods to be moved to determine quantities and conditions.High
37
Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.High
17
Follow appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.High
17
Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.High
16
Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.High
14
Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.High
16
Drive trucks to weigh stations before and after loading and along routes in compliance with state regulations.High
16
Install or remove special equipment, such as tire chains, grader blades, plow blades, or sanders.High
22
Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.Medium
15
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.69
  2. Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.69
  3. Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.69
  4. Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.69
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.01
  2. Secure cargo for transport, using ropes, blocks, chain, binders, or covers.02
  3. Perform emergency roadside repairs, such as changing tires or installing light bulbs, tire chains, or spark plugs.03
  4. Follow appropriate safety procedures for transporting dangerous goods.04
  5. Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency69
Physical dependency66
Adoption pressure38
Labour-market resilience65
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence81/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →