Trucking Careers · Wisconsin · October 29, 2026

Wisconsin Has Lost Nearly 9% of Its CDL Holders Since 2010, and Its Truck Drivers Are Getting Older

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Wisconsin has fewer people licensed to drive heavy trucks than it did 15 years ago, even as the state moves more freight. A new Wisconsin Policy Forum report says the number of valid CDL holders fell 8.9% between 2010 and 2025, according to CDL Life.

The numbers

The report says Wisconsin had 224,860 commercial drivers in 2010 and only 204,766 valid CDL holders in 2025. That is a drop of more than 20,000, or 8.9%. CDL Life's story says "nearly 10%," but the report's own figure is 8.9%, which is the number used here.

"As our reliance on heavy trucks has grown, the number of people in Wisconsin licensed to drive them has dropped by more than 20,000 drivers, or 8.9%, over the past 15 years," the report says. "The remaining drivers are also older than others on the road, which suggests the supply of them could shrink even further."

An older workforce

The average age of all Wisconsin CDL holders is 51.4. In 2025, 58.7% of licensed commercial truck drivers were 50 or older, and almost 25% were between 60 and 69. According to the report, less than a quarter of licensed heavy truck drivers are under 40.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development reports about 6,000 job openings each year that require heavy truck licenses, and younger drivers are not filling them, the report says. It warns that driver shortages, overall or in certain niches, could affect the reliability and cost of shipping and put upward pressure on prices.

More freight, fewer licenses

The report says 70% of the goods moved through Wisconsin travel by commercial motor vehicle on state highways. The number of those shipments grew 33% between 2019 and 2023, and nationwide freight is expected to rise 50% by 2050.

What the report suggests

No solutions were presented in the report, according to CDL Life. It does mention possible roles for self-driving vehicles and for improved freight rail. The report cautions that autonomous technology "may not come fast enough to address short-term acute shortages," and that improving freight rail may help ease the shortage. It quotes the state's freight report: "an overreliance on any one mode can create challenges within the transportation system."

Quick facts

• Wisconsin CDL holders: 224,860 in 2010; 204,766 in 2025; down 8.9%.
• Average age of CDL holders: 51.4. Share 50 or older: 58.7%.
• Annual job openings needing heavy truck licenses: about 6,000, per the state Department of Workforce Development.
• Report: Wisconsin Policy Forum, released this month.

Big Rig Daily has also covered how a Wisconsin carrier is handling driver capacity and getting a CDL after 50. If you are thinking about the job, see how to get a CDL step by step and truck driver pay by state.

A question for readers

What would bring more younger people into trucking in your state?

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