(The Center Square) – Self-driving vehicles and more freight trains will not be enough to meet all of Wisconsin’s freight needs.

The Wisconsin Policy Forum is out with a report that shows Wisconsin continues to lose truck drivers.

"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 remaining drivers are also older than others on the road, which suggests the supply of them could shrink even further," the Policy Forum wrote.

Wisconsin had 224,860 commercial drivers in 2010. The Policy Forum said in 2025 that number had fallen to 204,766.

"Each year, Wisconsin has about 6,000 job openings that require heavy truck licenses, according to the state Department of Workforce Development. Younger drivers are not filling these openings; less than a quarter of licensed heavy truck drivers are under 40 years old. Driver shortages – either overall or in specific niches – could affect the reliability and cost of shipping, putting upward pressure on prices," the report added.

The Policy Forum also noted that while the number of truck drivers continues to fall, the need for truck drivers continues to rise.

"Seventy percent of the goods, by weight, that move through Wisconsin do so on highways. These shipments grew by 33% between 2019 and 2023, and federal officials project an additional 50% nationwide increase of freight shipped by truck by 2050," the Policy Forum wrote. "The volume of these goods, routed through fulfillment centers like those owned by Amazon, ports, and warehouses, shows that heavy trucks are vital to the supply chain."

The report also noted that most Wisconsin counties have fewer licensed truck drivers than they did in 2010.

The report doesn’t offer any solutions, but it does hint at some decisions that will have to be made in the state.

"Self-driving vehicles may eventually lead to a reduced need for skilled drivers behind the wheel, particularly for long highway routes between cities. However, as the slow progress of deploying even a partially autonomous technology like platooning shows, advances may not come fast enough to address short-term acute shortages," the Policy Forum stated. "Finally, continued investment in other types of transportation may allow a shift of goods from one type of transportation to another. Improving freight rail, for example, may help alleviate the driver shortage. Ultimately, as the state’s latest intermodal freight report states, 'Trucking plays a vital role….However, an overreliance on any one mode can create challenges within the transportation system.'"