U.S. Transportation Sector Unemployment (3.8%) in June 2026 Falls Below the June 2025 Level (4.5%)

Image courtesy of Metropolitan Transportation Authority / J. P. Chan

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics recently reported that the transportation sector unemployment rate fell to 3.8% in June.

The Bureau said, “The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector was 3.8% (not seasonally adjusted) in June 2026 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These data have been updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS) Unemployment in Transportation dashboard. In June 2026, the transportation sector unemployment rate fell 0.7 percentage points from 4.5% in June 2025. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May 2020 and July 2020.

“Unemployment in the transportation sector was lower than overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in June 2026 was 4.4% or 0.6 percentage points above the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in June 2026 was 4.2%.”

Graphic courtesy U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

“NOTE: BLS did not release household survey estimates for October 2025.”

The Bureau added,

“Seasonally adjusted, employment in the transportation and warehousing sector remained virtually unchanged at 6,603,700 in June 2026 from the previous month but down 0.8% from June 2025. By mode (seasonally adjusted):

Warehousing and storage rose to 1,850,600 in June 2026 — up 0.3% from the previous month but down 1.1% from June 2025.

Air transportation remained virtually unchanged in June 2026 at 568,000 from the previous month but down 0.3% from June 2025.

Truck transportation fell to 1,466,600 in June 2026 — down 0.1% from the previous month and down 1.1% from June 2025.

Transit and ground passenger transportation fell to 489,800 in June 2026 — down 0.5% from the previous month and down 0.5% from June 2025.

Rail transportation rose to 149,900 in June 2026 — up 0.1% from the previous month but down 3.4% from June 2025.

Water transportation rose to 70,600 in June 2026 — up 1% from the previous month but down 0.1% from June 2025.

Pipeline transportation rose to 56,400 in June 2026 — up 0.7% from the previous month but down 0.4% from June 2025.”

Graphic courtesy U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

“NOTES: June 2019 and June 2026 employment (seasonally adjusted) not shown for water (66,200 and 70,600, respectively) or pipeline (51,900 and 56,400, respectively) transportation. All-time highs (seasonally adjusted) with records beginning in 1990: air March 2001 (633,600); pipeline July 1991 (61,200); rail January 1990 (278,100); transit June 2019 (503,900); truck October 2022 (1,588,600); warehousing and storage March 2022 (1,939,300); and water January 2026 (72,400).”