Happy Haul-o-ween!

Happy Halloween! It’s that time of year we celebrate All Hallows Eve! But first… Behind every carved pumpkin, sugary treat, and creepy costume, there are the people making it all possible: truck drivers! Buckle up as we share some spine-tingling fun facts about how truckers keep the magic of spooky season rolling!

Halloween Candy Demand

Annually, Americans purchase and consume around 600 million pounds of Halloween candy. A truck driver might travel hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to deliver candy from manufacturers to distribution centers and retail stores across the country.

Some of the largest candy makers in the U.S. — such as Hershey, Mars, and Nestlé — rely heavily on trucking companies to ensure timely delivery. Chocolate alone accounts for more than 370 millions pounds enjoyed during Halloween season, which is the equivalent of over 3 billion standard-size chocolate bars.

Pumpkin Hauling

Standard commercial trucks and trailers with containers can carry as much as 45,000 pounds of cargo. Given this capacity, it would take around 13,300 truckloads to transport the 600 million pounds of Halloween candy purchased annually! In the months leading up to Halloween, more trucks are transporting large quantities of candy to meet the seasonal demand. To accommodate this increased volume, many trucking companies scale up their operations.

In addition to candy, truckers also haul massive loads of pumpkins leading up to Halloween. In 2024, the USDA reported that U.S. farmers in the top pumpkin-producing states harvested about 1.44 billion pounds of pumpkins. These truck drivers then deliver all these pumpkins to grocery stores, farmers markets, pumpkin patches, and even pumpkin festivals.

Candy Corn Craze

Halloween sparks a national debate for one candy in particular: Candy Corn. People either love it or hate it. According to the National Confectioners Association, nearly 35 million pounds of candy corn, which is about 9 billion individual pieces, are produced then sold around the holiday.

While candy corn is popular worldwide, some regions of the U.S. have a stronger demand for it. For example, truck drivers deliver more candy corn to Midwest and Southern states, where people particularly favor it.

Much of the candy we all enjoy, including candy corn, is sensitive to temperature. During transport, it must be kept at the right temperature to avoid melting or becoming misshapen. Truckers ensure the quality and freshness of candy during transportation by using climate-controlled trailers (a.k.a. reefer trailers). These trailers regulate the temperature and humidity, preventing the candy from melting, becoming stale, or being damaged by other conditions.

The Trucking Behind Halloween Treets

The seasonal demand for candy corn and other Halloween treats provides a significant boost to the trucking industry. The surge in deliveries during this period often boosts business for trucking companies as well as more job opportunities for truck drivers.

Halloween is one of the busiest times of the year for truck drivers involved in retail distribution. They often work on tight schedules to guarantee that candy, costumes, and decorations arrive on time for the holiday rush, which starts well before October. Retailers begin stocking Halloween candy and costumes in late August.

And Americans aren’t slowing down on the tradition. In 2025, 73% of consumers planned to celebrate Halloween, up from 72% the year before, and 66% planned to hand out candy.

Without truck drivers, the Halloween supply chain would look like a zombie apocalypse — ferocious trick-or-treaters, potential candy shortages, and empty store shelves. Their deliveries are paramount to a successful Halloween season!