Percent change in employment, projected 2021-31, Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. As a Class A CDL truck driver, you will have plenty of freight and you can get up to 3200 . Qualifications for obtaining a CDL vary by state but generally include passing both a knowledge test and a driving test. Mileage rates vary according to the drivers experience, the type of load, and the length of each trip. In 2020, the Northeast was the . If the haul, or trip, equals out to 800 miles then the driver will make $640. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. What Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers Do, How to Become a Heavy or Tractor-trailer Truck Driver, Employment projections data for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 2021-31, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, Top Picks, One Screen, Multi-Screen, and Maps, Industry Finder from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Trucking wages often follow trends on the spot market, which has surged in 2020 alongside the demand for e-commerce. Even new drivers working for the same company can expect different pay rates based on where they live. Therefore, the scale can generally range as low as $28,160 annual income all the way to as high as $65,260, according to BLS. They must have a commercial drivers license (CDL). I'll have a year in June and already been offered a job paying 46cpm in unrestricted trucks. The continuing trend will keep wages competitive and have fleets seeking ways to make the job of truck driving more attractive. Company drivers are paid on a cents per mile basis. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes that sometimes span several states. CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. The charts below illustrate trends in operational costs for fleets, according to ATRI's data. Realize that you will not make top rates if you just graduated from trucking school. 5+ Years, Please select ALL of your current, valid drivers licenses. All long-haul truck drivers must have a commercial drivers license (CDL). What Is The Highest-paying Trucking Company. Without guidelines to determine safe driving times, many drivers stayed on the road for 24 hours at a time to transport goods. BRAND NEW trucks. The Real Cost of Trucking - Per Mile Operating Cost of a Commercial Truck Calculate Your Own Cost-Per-Mile: The Cost of Trucking $1.38 The average per mile operating cost for the trucking industry $180,000 The average total yearly cost of operating a commercial truck The largest operating expense is diesel fuel. The average Commercial Truck Driver salary in Tennessee is $51,890 as of February 27, 2023, but the range typically falls between $45,890 and $59,490. Average weekly pay of $1,400 to $1,600 or more per week since you can run as many miles as you can get. The average for drivers with their careers in full swing is around $45,000 to $60,000 annually. And is it beneficial? Finally, it is important to realize that a system that has worked from the beginning will not change overnight. Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers with similar occupations. For example, rookie drivers earn significantly less than experienced drivers with a proven record. Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. Driving for many consecutive hours can be tiring, and some drivers must load and unload cargo. Although such delays can reduce the drivers rate per hour, the rate per mile remains the same. Let Transport Dive's free newsletter keep you informed, straight from your inbox. The projected numeric change in employment from 2021 to 2031. With that in mind, a truck driver that has an average speed of 70 MPH can bring about $42 an hour. For truck drivers, this meant getting paid per mile of travel. The average yearly salary for entry-level employees is $39,406, while the average yearly pay for experienced professionals may reach $62,482. Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz8Oku9fQfQ. ATRI and Nuest said insurance premiums will continue to rise. Pay Period Salary; Per mile: $0.49: Per week: $1,183: Per month: $4,731: Per year: $47,306: . If we look at the truck driver salary statistics in USA as of March 1, 2023, the represented employee makes $72,280; to be more precise pay rate is $6,023.33 per month, $1,390 per week, or $36 per hour. If you drove all 52 weeks in a year at those rates, you would earn between $29,120 and $62,400. When negotiating rates with a company, stick to the facts. Before sharing sensitive information, If thats something that you have, then by all means, you should accept nothing less than $0.40. No part of this website may be copied without express written permission from Secrest Direct, Inc. Landstar Heavy Haul Jobs Landstar Independent Trucking Jobs, AEB Requirements Next on the Federal Regulations Docket, Lawsuit Abuse Reform Act for Owner-Operators, Electronic Identification for Commercial Motor Vehicles, Owner-Operators Facing Diesel Fuel Shortages. The industry is short about 78,000 drivers, an improvement from last years 80,000-person gap estimate, the groups chief economist said. In fact, it can take 10 years of experience to start earning about $60k annually. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers held about 2.1 million jobs in 2021. Prices depend on the type of CDL class type, city and state, number of hours of training, and whether you take it at a college or independent school. However, many companies offer regular pay increases every few months during your first year as a driver. Here are the 10 best states for truck drivers which also takes the states cost of living into account: Though not a state, the data for Washington D.C. is too compelling to ignore. The average hourly wage for a Truck Driver - Heavy in the United States is $22 as of September 27, 2021, but the range typically falls between $20 and $26. For all of 2021, the average owner-operator spent $45,605 on fuel. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for truck drivers in 2014 was $39,520. Among other stipulations, the law introduced a federal minimum wage and held employers to workplace safety standards. To be clear, your pay per mile will not account for time spent: As you can see, drivers spend a lot of time waiting, and theyre often not compensated for it. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. $51 k. $59 k. $67 k. $51,519. To determine pay per hour, take the number of miles per trip times the pay rate. Most drivers complete between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. As of July 2021, trucking rates per mile remain steady. Salaries typically start from $28,020 and go up to $71,300. Among other things, these drivers are responsible for insurance and vehicle upkeep operating costs for a tractor-trailer average $1.38 per mile. In general, truck drivers are expected to drive between 280 and 430 miles per day, or up to 3,000 miles per week. The average salary for truck drivers in Missouri is around $47,130 per year. What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Truck Driver? But that doesnt mean that you cant earn a great living doing what you love. Please enable javascript to play this video. Implementation of safety tech will help to moderate the insurance increases, according to ATRI and Nuest. Many prospective drivers attend professional truck driving schools, where they take training courses to learn how to maneuver large vehicles on highways or through crowded streets. The largest employers of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers were as follows: Working as a long-haul truck driver is a lifestyle choice because these drivers can be away from home for days or weeks at a time. It takes a great deal of skill to keep a large road straight. In the early 1900s, working conditions across the United States were not always the best. Some long-haul truck drivers, also called owner-operators, buy or lease trucks and go into business for themselves. Negotiating rates that are based around mileage (cents-per-mile) instead of hours can be a smart career move for drivers. Because of the potential for traffic accidents, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Landstar DUV /RKY Agency 10922 State Route 212 NE Bolivar, Ohio 44612. Average truck driver pay per mile is between 28 and 40 cents per mile . I'd say a good starting number is 40. He included a provision in the FSLA that exempted truck drivers from minimum wage requirements. Most drivers can average 2,000-3,000 miles in a 70-hour workweek. Most transportation jobs revolved around transporting meat, milk, and grains from farms to markets. Experienced drivers start at 28% for their first month of employment. They may drive trains, coordinate the activities of the trains, or control signals and switches in the rail yard. The highest-paid trucking company is Walmart. At the time of ATRI's report release in November, the research organization began to observe demand for replacement tires as freight activity picked up. These costs often operate in tandem with fuel costs, as the tires are derived from petroleum. The key is to find an employer (if you want to be a company driver) that pays a fair rate. Average Salary of Trucking Types of Jobs Class A: $49,000 CDL Driver: $46,000 Truck Driver Run OTR: $62,000 OTR CDL Truck Driver: $57,500 Dump Truck Driver: $39,000 CDL Truck Driver: $51,500 Tank Truck Driver: $59,500 Bulk Truck Driver: $52,000 Semi-Truck Driver: $49,000 Average truck driver pay per mile is between 28 and 40 cents per mile . The bottom 10% of truck drivers earned a median of $25,740, while the top 10% brought home a median of $61,150. For example, if you live in Delaware you should be paid close to $70,901 per year. When it comes to a truck drivers pay per mile, there is no single right answer. CALL (219) 224-3133 CLICK HERE TO APPLY. What is the highest paying truck driver job? Drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers must be able to coordinate their legs, hands, and eyes simultaneously so that they will react appropriately to the situation around them and drive the vehicle safely. While moving across state lines isnt achievable for everyone, it could make a huge difference in how much youre paid, as well as how far that money goes. The site is secure. Most drivers complete between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. How Much Does Truck Driving School Cost? The pay per mile model is considered piecework pay. GP Transco has one of the lowest turnover rates of all trucking companies, and this is partly because of the great salary and benefits. Subscribe to the Transport Dive free daily newsletter, Subscribe to Transport Dive for top news, trends & analysis, The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines, (David Ryder/Getty Images) via Getty Images, (Scott Olson/Getty Images) via Getty Images, Trax Recognized as a Representative Vendor in Gartner 2023 Freight Audit and Payment Market Gu, SELSCS Grows Freight Brokerage with Descartes Transportation Management, Freight Visibility a, Yellow selects Optyms RouteMax to optimize its pick-up & delivery operations, ITS Logistics February Port/Rail Ramp Index: Wheeled Container Freight Storage Presents Major , By signing up to receive our newsletter, you agree to our, By EMR Drivers Service the Route, not the Truck. On average, drivers (with some experience) are paid between $0.28 and $0.40 per mile. class type, city and state, number of hours of training. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average truck driver salary/pay as $47,680 per year. Remember, just because you gross over $150,000 per year, that doesnt mean all of that money is going into your pocket. Owner-operators bring home about this much. That translates into average weekly pay ranging from $560 to $1,200. Unfortunately, unless you have been driving for a long time and have a great driving reputation, theres not a lot of room for negotiating pay. Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. What will road life be likeis it worth it? The salary for a truck driver can vary depending on the years of experience that a person has, from entry level to senior level. Drivers are expected to travel between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. Max Farrell, co-founder and CEO of WorkHound, said fleets are offering more premium insurance packages as a draw for drivers, such as 100% preventable coverage, plus vision, dental and life insurance. Fleets' lease and purchase costs declined 2.3% in 2019 after a strong year of truck purchases in 2018. Between working periods, drivers must have at least 10 hours off duty. Average yearly earnings for a semi-truck driver in 2020 were about $47,130, which was a slight increase from $43,590 four years earlier. If you think you can simply buy a truck on Trucker to Trucker and start raking in over $150,000 per year, youd be dead wrong. Visual ability. Jamie Tharpe Trucking: CDL Class A Driver Position - Full Time Hiring Area: New Orleans, LA Perks for this Class A CDL Position Ful Time Position:-$1,500 per week on average -Plenty of freight, run as many miles are you want to -Average 2500 miles per week but able to get 3200-3400 -Out 12 days and home every other weekend for 2 days A truck driver who own his own truck(s)can average $154,475 a year. Workers in factories, steel mills, mines, and the transportation industry received piece work pay. Physical health. To determine pay per hour, take the number of miles per trip times the pay rate. Skill is required beyond anything else. The company probably will not cover traffic or weather delays, but they might be willing to pay for your lunch while you wait for repairs. That translates into average weekly pay ranging from $560 to $1,200. information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. But fleets changing what commodities they hauled, when demand grew in some categories and fell in others, may have increased insurance premiums due to perceived risk of hauling an unfamiliar product, she said. Alabama $40,580 / $19.27hr Alaska $ 57,630 / $27.04 hr (Drivers don't pay taxes) Arizona 45,430 $21.46 hr Arkansas $40,620 / $19.53 (Low wages, low cost of living) California $45,560 / $21.90 (Low wages, high cost of living, lots of jobs) They are also subject to random testing for drug or alcohol abuse. Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation. Drivers learn the federal laws and regulations governing interstate trucking. The per-mile rate varies from employer to employer and may depend on the type of cargo and the experience of the driver. Truck driving school cost ranges anywhere from $425 to $10,000. Job Listing Rules. Certain cargo requires drivers to adhere to additional safety regulations. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $116.74 an hour. For the first time in 15 years, insurance availability and cost ranked in the top five industry issues. Many variables go into answering, "what is the average pay for a truck driver?" Keep reading to find out how you can join the ranks of the many truck drivers who are in demand and well compensated. Railroad workers ensure that passenger and freight trains operate safely. However, its likely that drivers retire before they are able to reach that sought-after 6 figure salary. What Is the Average Local Truck Driver Salary by State How Much Do Local Truck Driver Jobs Pay per Year? An official website of the United States government "Truck lease and purchase costs are expected to remain constant over the coming year," ATRI said, noting a "tumultuous" buying period in the latter part of 2020. A driver making 40 cents per mile would get paid $1,000 for the same trip, making about $14.29 per hour. Finally, long-haul drivers earn more because each trip requires a significant amount of time away from home. These are all normal factors that play into the pay rates of truck driving. J.B. Hunt Transport Services Jobs (2,070), Box Truck Driver-Located In Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Under this scheme, workers are paid a fixed rate for the unit produced regardless of how long it takes. For a look at the business trends affecting other industries, see the Dive Outlook on 2021. Things like gas, maintenance, fuel taxes, permits, tolls, tires insurance and even coffee add up over time and can account for a serious chunk of your earnings. Oct 7, 2022. Large carriers also tend to operate newer trucks with better fuel efficiency, thus contributing to lower fuel costs. . Since its founding in the 1950s, Schwans has grown from a humble ice cream delivery service to one of the nations largest food delivery company. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021 53-3032 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). Operating costs in the trucking industry are about $1.38 per mile. That translates into average weekly pay ranging from $560 to $1,200. ATRI noted the decrease in operational costs did not apply evenly across all sectors namely private truck costs, which increased from $2.73 in 2018 to $2.80 in 2019. Since rates vary with income levels, comparing gross pay rates is the fairest method of determining your hourly rate. 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On the contrary, Nebraska, Oregon, and Texas offer the lowest truck driver salaries. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers usually have a high school diploma and attend a professional truck driving school. Although you might not be able to make $100,000/year off the bat, but given the truck driver demand, and with experience, specialization, CDL training and the right company, you can make $80,000+ on a trucker salary. Being an owner-operator does have its perks, and if you know what youre getting into, it can be a profitable career. The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Passenger vehicle drivers operate buses, taxis, and other modes of transportation to take people from place to place. The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Trucking's average operational costs per mile vary year to year, based on several line items, including driver wages, equipment costs, tolls and fuel. Some heavy truck drivers who transport hazardous materials, such as chemical waste, must take special precautions when driving and may carry specialized safety equipment in case of an accident. Its difficult to determine how much truckers make per year because theyre paid by the mile not hourly or on a salary basis. $40,500 - $45,499 16% of jobs $45,500 - $50,499 12% of jobs That translates into average weekly pay ranging from $560 to $1,200. Load ratios are highest in the northern plains and Gulf Coast states. Keeping your record clean and having a professional attitude will pay off in the long run. Build a reputation as a good driver. Truck drivers need good hearing. Truck drivers transporting hazardous materials (HAZMAT) must have a hazardous materials endorsement (H). Here are the 10 worst states, plus D.C., for truck driver states: So, youve entered trucking with the intention of earning as much as $100,000 each year. Most people assume that owner-operators earn more money per year, and in most cases, they would be right. For an experienced independent truck driver, the rate per mile could be as high as 80 cents a mile. Nuest gave examples of cameras for coaching drivers, along with strong safety culture at trucking firms. Typically, truck drivers either pay for gas by using a company card or by using their own funds and then get reimbursed by the company they work for. 30 is really low 45 is pretty high. As a result, fleets have increased deductibles and reduced excess coverage. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,710, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $72,730. And the leading carriers are incorporating driver feedback into decision-making, according to Farrell. Terms | Owner-operators make significantly more per mile, but they also have higher expenses. Additionally, some companies have stricter standards than what federal regulations require. Zip Class A CDL Experience Please select ALL of your current, valid driver's licenses CDL A CDL B CDL C Send me job offers Mar 26, 2018 #2 BrandonCDLdriver Road Train Member 1,191 1,462 Sep 1, 2017 0 30 is really low 45 is pretty high. Note that to make an even comparison between time-based and mileage-based rates, you must compare gross pay with gross pay or net pay with net pay. The average TanTara driver earns between 27%-30%. Hand-eye coordination. Read More Schwans Food Delivery Driver PayContinue, If youre considering a career as a trucker in Canada, you may be wondering what the average salary is and the outlook for this career, Read More How Much Do Truck Drivers Make in Canada?Continue. The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2021 to 2031. Job Outlook Employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Depending on the company and with a safe driving record spanning several years, a driver can potentially earn upward of . Without your consent employers will not be able to contact with job offers, would you like to opt-in now? For instance, a rookie driver earning 28 cents per mile for a 2,500-mile trip would receive $700. Tanker: Drivers average $1,280 - $1,560 per week. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face. You know if you are being paid fairly as a Truck Driver if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. Fleets are also adding flexible policies, such as allowing pets or family members on the road, Farrell said. Here are nine of the highest-paying jobs in trucking you may consider. For those who are just starting out, the average entry-level salary in Wilmington, DE is $47,000. In May 2021, the median annual wages for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows: Drivers of heavy trucks and tractor-trailers usually are paid by how many miles they have driven, plus bonuses. More than 90% of respondents in ATRI's research said they offer health insurance, and nearly 90% provide paid vacation. If youre thinking of getting into the trucking industry, you may be wondering how much you will be paid per mile. Nearly four decades later, many drivers believe this pay system is outdated and needs an overhaul. A major trucking firm is offering the biggest raises in its 60-year history to attract and retain drivers. About 259,900 openings for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. If you have a proven track record, consider requesting compensation for significant delays. If you drove all 52 weeks in a year at those rates, you would earn between $29,120 and $62,400. Wyoming. 4 Years In CDL School Now Fast forward to 1980, when the Motor Carrier Act became law. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Consider contacting state and federal lawmakers and urging them to review the laws governing trucker pay.