U.S. transportation sector unemployment rate increases to 5.4% in February 2022

Remains above pre-pandemic level of 3.8% in February 2020

The unemployment rate in the U.S. transportation sector was 5.4% (not seasonally adjusted) in February 2022 according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data recently updated on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Unemployment in Transportation dashboard. The February 2022 rate fell 3.5 percentage points from 8.9% in February 2021 but remains above the pre-pandemic rate of 3.8% in February 2020. Unemployment in the transportation sector reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic (15.7%) in May and July 2020.

The unemployment rate in the transportation sector is above overall unemployment. BLS reports that the U.S. unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in February 2022 was 4.1% or 1.3 percentage points below the transportation sector rate. Seasonally adjusted, the U.S. unemployment rate in February 2022 was 3.8%.