Moving Truck Driver
Snapshot
Moving truck drivers operate lorries or trucks intended for relocating and transporting goods, belongings, machinery, and others. They assist in placing goods in the truck for efficient use of space and security compliance.
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.
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.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $44,860 2025-05 | +7.3% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2025 * | — | +11.2% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Shortage reported Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | +47.9% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £39,141 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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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.
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.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
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.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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load bulk trucks
Conduct activities associated with determining the itineraries and loading of bulk trucks.
-
handle delivery of furniture goods
Handle the delivery and assemble the furniture and other goods, according to customer's needs and preferences.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
use equipment for safe stowage
Use tools and equipment to perform safe stowage and ensure proper loading and securing of goods.
-
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.
-
use communication equipment
Set up, test and operate different types of communication equipment such as transmission equipment, digital network equipment, or telecommunications equipment.
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manoeuvre heavy trucks
Drive, manoeuvre and park tractors, trailers and lorries on roads, around tight corners, and in parking spaces.
mechanical components of vehicles
The mechanical components used in vehicles, their maintenance needs, potential malfunctions and resolution actions.
road transport legislation
The regulations at regional, national, and European level on safety and environmental requirements for road transport operations.
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.
animal transport regulations
The legal requirements relating to safe and efficient transport of animals.
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
- health and safety measures in transportation
- mechanics
Path to become a moving truck driver
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Upper secondary education
Regulated in 4 countries on record. Minimum EQF 3.
Reflects the EU regulated-professions database. Not legal advice — confirm requirements with the relevant national authority before relying on this for a career or immigration decision.
26 programmes in 12 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 386 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Työtehoseura ry · Finland
Motor Vehicle Maintenance
Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board · Ireland
These are 2 of 412.
Sources
- 1. Source: Opintopolku.fi (Finnish National Agency for Education)
- 2. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does moving truck driver fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of physical demands are involved in being a moving truck driver?
Are there specific licenses or endorsements required to be a moving truck driver?
What are the typical working conditions for a moving truck driver?
How much does Moving Truck Driver pay in the United States?
Is Moving Truck Driver a regulated profession?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data