Transportation and Warehousing is 3.5 percent of the region’s workforce – higher than the state and nation for 2018. The modern transportation and distribution industry is geared toward the interstate highway system and the ability to shift modes efficiently. The 18-county region has interstates I-85 and I-65, and I-10 (east/west) is just to the south of the region. Several state and federal highways serve the region at connected points within. The North Subregion is well-situated with I-65 and I-85, and the South Subregion is still a strong contender with regional distribution centers and those supporting the “last mile” model of supply chain.
Talent
- Nearly 1 million population in the region
- Labor force of more than 430,000
- 4,410 degrees awarded in the region related to Transportation and Distribution with 910 of those issued through post-secondary vocational and training schools (2017)
- Transportation and Distribution workforce of 61,000
- Existing pool of skilled industrial workers for Transportation and Distribution
Thriving Business
- Transportation and Warehousing sector grew by 1,755 jobs from 2013 to 2018 across the region
- Transportation and Material Moving sector grew by 2,501 jobs from 2013 to 2018 across the region
- 7% national job growth for Freight Transportation Arrangement sector from 2008 to 2018, with expected growth of 13.1% over next 10 years
- 0% national job growth for General Warehousing and Storage sector from 2008 to 2018, with expected growth of 26.4% over next 10 years
Area Assets
- Interstate highways provide logistical advantage
- Affordable cost of labor
- Excellent vocational training
- 22 colleges & universities in the region
- Engineering related programs in area
- Availability of fully served industrial sites
- Affordable cost of living
Related Transportation and Distribution Existing Pool of High-Demand Occupations, 2018
Southeast Gas Region and Subregions
The Southeast Gas region comprises 18 counties in southeast Alabama that are served by Southeast Gas. These counties are Barbour, Butler, Chambers, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Escambia, Henry, Houston, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Pike and Russell. Given the diversity of this territory, Garner Economics divided the region into two subregions: North and South. The map above illustrates the subregions for the purposes of the Garner Economics Target Industries Study. This subdivision was accomplished based on industry clusters by county.
