U.S. Transportation Sector Unemployment Rate Decreases to 6.1% in November 2021; Remains Above Pre-Pandemic Level of 3.3% in November 2019
The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector was 6.1% (not seasonally adjusted) in November 2021 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data recently updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Unemployment in Transportation dashboard. The November 2021 rate fell 2.9 percentage points from 9.0% in November 2020 but remains above the pre-pandemic rate of 3.3% in November 2019. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May and July 2020.
Unemployment in the transportation sector remains above overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in November 2021 was 3.9% or 2.2 percentage points below the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in November 2021 was 4.2%.

In addition to the update of the Unemployment in Transportation dashboard, BTS also released its monthly update to its Employment in Transportation: Total, by Mode, and Women, and Race and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity of Transportation Workers dashboards.
Charts Updated this Month by Section include:
Unemployment in the Transportation and Warehousing Sector and in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Monthly Employment in the Transportation and Warehousing Sector, Establishment Data
- Monthly Employment in the Transportation and Warehousing Sector
- Monthly Employment in the Transportation and Warehousing Sector by Mode
- Women Workers in the Transportation and Warehousing Sector
Monthly Employment in the Transportation and Warehousing Sector by Race and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, Household Data
Visit Transportation Economic Trends for more topics.
Contact: Todd Solomon (202) 366-0573, todd.solomon@dot.gov.