moving truck driver
Snapshot
Enjoy the open road and a physically active career? As a moving truck driver, you'll be instrumental in helping people and businesses relocate, ensuring their belongings arrive safely and on time. It's a vital role with consistent demand.
Moving truck drivers are responsible for the safe and efficient transportation of goods, furniture, and equipment. This role combines driving skills with careful loading and securing of cargo. You'll work to optimize space within the truck, adhering to safety regulations and ensuring items are protected during transit. This occupation often involves assisting customers with loading and unloading, and providing excellent customer service throughout the relocation process.
- • Operate lorries or trucks specifically designed for moving and transporting goods.
- • Load and secure items within the truck, maximizing space and ensuring stability during transit.
- • Plan efficient routes, considering traffic and delivery schedules.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Drivers and mobile plant operators — 52 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and 15 more.
Longest-running shortage: Belgium, 3 years.
Where it is regulated, your qualification would need formal recognition before you could practise.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
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Could moving truck driver fit you?
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Future Outlook for moving truck driver
The outlook for moving truck driver reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could moving truck driver change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could moving truck driver change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- follow work procedures
- interpret traffic signals
- communicate with customers
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- operate GPS systems
- read maps
- read pictograms
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Supply Chain & Transportation
A typical day as a moving truck driver
09 09:00 · Morning read pictograms
10 10:30 · Mid-morning carry objects
12 12:00 · Midday drive in urban areas
14 14:00 · Afternoon handle delivery of furniture goods
15 15:30 · Late afternoon perform defensive driving
17 17:00 · Wrap-up ensure vehicle operability
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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mechanical components of vehicles
The mechanical components used in vehicles, their maintenance needs, potential malfunctions and resolution actions.
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road transport legislation
The regulations at regional, national, and European level on safety and environmental requirements for road transport operations.
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vehicle cargo capacity
The capacity and the limits of the commissioned vehicle in terms of weight, type of cargo it can handle, and other cargo loading specifications.
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animal transport regulations
The legal requirements relating to safe and efficient transport of animals.
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animal transportation vehicles
The types of vehicles for the transportation of animals and their features, the selection of appropriate vehicles and their safe use, according to national and international regulations.
- road traffic laws
- electricity
- hazards associated with loading dangerous goods
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load bulk trucks
Conduct activities associated with determining the itineraries and loading of bulk trucks.
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handle delivery of furniture goods
Handle the delivery and assemble the furniture and other goods, according to customer's needs and preferences.
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carry objects
Carry and relocate objects from one place to another adhering to health and safety regulations. Carry objects while maintaining their integrity.
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drive in urban areas
Drive vehicles in urban areas. Interpret and understand transit signs in a city, the regulation of traffic, and the related common automobility agreements in an urban area.
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perform defensive driving
Drive defensively to maximise road safety and save time, money, and lives; anticipate the actions of other road users.
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read maps
Read maps effectively.
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read pictograms
Interpret pictograms that indicate characteristics and required measures for handling objects through visual representations.
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follow work procedures
Adhere to procedures at work in a structured and systematic manner.
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interpret traffic signals
Observe lights on the road, road conditions, nearby traffic, and prescribed speed limits to ensure safety. Interpret traffic signals and act accordingly.
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communicate with customers
Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
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perform cleaning duties
Perform cleaning duties such as waste removal, vacuuming, emptying bins, and general cleaning of the working area. Cleaning activities should follow health and safety regulations if required.
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use equipment for safe stowage
Use tools and equipment to perform safe stowage and ensure proper loading and securing of goods.
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ensure vehicle operability
Keep the vehicle clean and in roadworthy condition. Ensure regular maintenance of the vehicle and provide valid official documents such as licenses and permits where appropriate.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does moving truck driver fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of physical demands are involved in being a moving truck driver?
- This role requires significant physical exertion. You’ll be frequently lifting and moving heavy items, loading and unloading trucks, and potentially navigating stairs or uneven terrain. A good level of physical fitness is essential.
- Are there specific licenses or endorsements required to be a moving truck driver?
- Requirements vary by location. Generally, you’ll need a valid driver's license and potentially a commercial driver's license (CDL) depending on the size and weight of the truck you operate. Check local regulations for specific endorsements needed.
- What are the typical working conditions for a moving truck driver?
- Moving truck drivers often work outdoors in various weather conditions. The job can involve long hours and irregular schedules, including weekends and evenings, to accommodate customer relocation needs. You'll primarily work as an employee.
- Moving Truck Driver — is there a shortage in Europe?
- Yes. In the 2025 ELA/EURES edition, a shortage was reported in 19 of the 23 European countries that assessed this occupation group: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia and 15 more. Belgium has reported one for 3 consecutive years. These assessments are published per occupation group rather than per job title.
- Moving Truck Driver — what does it pay in the United States?
- $44,140 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $24,430 to $57,190. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.
- Moving Truck Driver — is it a regulated profession?
- It is listed as a regulated profession in 4 European countries: Romania, Poland, Malta, Slovenia. The lowest qualification level required among them is EQF 3. Where a profession is regulated, a qualification earned elsewhere has to be formally recognised before you can practise. Source: EU Regulated Professions Database.