Employment in the nation's trucking sector dipped slightly last month as orders for new trucks slipped sharply compared to the previous September.
The Wall Street Journal reported that truck orders were down 27 percent and that the employment totals snapped a run of job increases during the summer months.
Truck transportation jobs slid by 3,600 positions — to nearly 1.46 million — compared to August, according to the latest monthly estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. September's total was also 2,100 jobs below the same month in 2015.
The trucking industry continues to deal with excess cargo capacity and weak shipping demand, although the Journal noted that warehouse jobs increased as retailers seek to meet e-commerce demands during the holiday season.
Warehousing and storage companies added 5,300 jobs in September, bringing its 12-month total to nearly 50,000. However, transportation sector cuts of 14,100 in September put the overall transporation and warehousing industry at a loss of 9,000 jobs last month compared to August.
Total employment, meanwhile, increased by 156,000 in September, which kept the nation's unemployment rate steady at 5 percent.
Warehouse companies have added nearly 50,000 jobs over the last 12 months
