average truck driver pay per mile 2021

Why is that? 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. Location impacts how much a truck driver can expect to make. How much do they earn on average? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website has a full list of medical conditions that disqualify someone from driving a long-haul truck. 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. Nuest gave examples of cameras for coaching drivers, along with strong safety culture at trucking firms. What's a good average price per mile rate to pay OTR drivers/team drivers? Some truckers say that in a 70-hour work cycle, as much as 10 of those hours may be unpaid because the truck just isnt moving. ATRI's newest study, "An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2021 Update," shows the average trucking costs per mile fell 3.1% in 2020 to $1.646 from $1.699. Truck driving school cost ranges anywhere from $425 to $10,000. An accountant with 0-2 years of experience earns an average salary of $47,794, a mid-career professional with 3-6 years of experience makes $60,326 a year on average, and a senior level accountant with 7-12 years of experience enjoys an average annual salary of $74,405. 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 That translates into average weekly pay ranging from $560 to $1,200. In 1938, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) signed the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) into law. Due to the danger of the job and high risk, ice road truckers have the ability to earn an entire years salary in just a couple months time. Many of them work 60-70 hours a . What about owner-operators? Skill is required beyond anything else. No matter the case, its important to remember that the average truck driver pay per mile will vary greatly depending on: With that said, you can get an idea of how much you should be making by looking at recent salary data from top employers and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industry averages for total driving labor expense per mile range from $0.49 to $0.83 ($0.67 per mile on average). A truck driver who own his own truck(s)can average $154,475 a year. Physical health. This period of on-the-job training is given so that the new drivers will learn more about the specific type of truck they will drive and material they will transport. 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. The bottom 10% of truck drivers earned a median of $25,740, while the top 10% brought home a median of $61,150. You pretty much have to earn a lower rate until you are able to be experienced enough to call the shots. Plus, earning by mile might not always pay if theres certain days where traffic or road conditions are unfavorable. Use these tips to get better pay. J.B. Hunt said in November 2020 that it is targeting private fleet conversion as one of its largest growth opportunities. Getting this endorsement requires passing an additional knowledge test and a background check. Qualifications for obtaining a CDL vary by state but generally include passing both a knowledge test and a driving test. The ongoing driver shortage has prompted fleets to raise pay for drivers, in hopes of enticing new talent to the workforce and retaining truckers already on the payrolls. NEW increased driver pay and incentive package: Average $1840 per week Additional incentives available to earn up to $14,000 a year Home daily You will drive: Brand new equipment: 2021/2022 Freightliner Trucks Best-in-class specs designed for comfort 24/7 roadside assistance/maintenance XM Satellite radio subscription If you drove all 52 weeks in a year at those rates, you would earn between $29,120 and $62,400. 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. Trucking wages often follow trends on the spot market, which has surged in 2020 alongside the demand for e-commerce. However, its likely that drivers retire before they are able to reach that sought-after 6 figure salary. The projected percent change in employment from 2021 to 2031. . I'll have a year in June and already been offered a job paying 46cpm in unrestricted trucks. As a result, fleets have increased deductibles and reduced excess coverage. Load ratios are highest in the northern plains and Gulf Coast states. information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Fleets' lease and purchase costs declined 2.3% in 2019 after a strong year of truck purchases in 2018. These costs often operate in tandem with fuel costs, as the tires are derived from petroleum. What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Truck Driver? Throughout the U.S., the average salary for a truck driver is roughly $60,326 per year, which boils down to $29.0 per hour. Ice Road Trucking: Ice road truckers are the highest paid in the specialty field with oversized load drivers and Hazmat haulers following closely behind. In January 2021, for example, the national average rate per mile broke down this way: Vans: $1.97 mile Reefer: $2.35 per mile Flatbed: $2.17 per mile If youre just getting started, you can expect to be paid less than someone with a few years of experience, but many companies will offer pay raises every 4-6 months as you progress through your first year as a driver. They claim that per-mile rates encourage drivers to minimize delays and get back on the road again. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website has a list of these violations. The average owner-operator . The average salary for truck drivers in Missouri is around $47,130 per year. Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz8Oku9fQfQ. The pay per mile model is considered piecework pay. Each year, the American Transportation Research Institute collects cost data from TL, LTL and specialized fleets and compiles the finding into a report the most recent of which was published in Q4 2020. The charts below illustrate trends in operational costs for fleets, according to ATRI's data. Drivers also are limited to driving no more than 60 hours within 7 days or 70 hours within 8 days; then drivers must take 34 hours off before starting another 7- or 8-day run. $25,500 - $30,499 1% of jobs $30,500 - $35,499 6% of jobs $35,500 - $40,499 12% of jobs $41,500 is the 25th percentile. 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. Below is a brief overview of what owner/operators in different parts of the industry can expect to earn per mile and the average monthly payment for a good truck to work in that sector: Flat bed trucks. The industry average rate per mile typically varies between $1.50 and $2.50 per mile, although you will find exceptions outside those ranges. . This web page is written by the staff of DUV, an Independent agent for Landstar Ranger. Even if youre already in the business, you may want to find out if your pay rate is fair, or below average. A high level of concentration and a great deal of patience is needed for this job. At that time, the Department of Transportation did not exist, and neither did Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. Many owner-operators routinely work with the same company, and many lease their trucks through a carrier in hopes of being their own boss. Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that most companies pay between 28 and 40 cents per mile. Median pay for big-rig drivers under $50,000. 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. She attributed the rise to inflation and rising incidences of nuclear verdicts, which are legal awards of more than $10 million. Average income per mile: $1.75 to $1.95 per mile; Average truck payment: Waste disposal trucks. 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. Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now: Here are the five companies hiring the most now: Here are some examples of how much a truck driver salaries can based on different industries: The retail industry pays truck drivers an average salary of $58,554, The lowest paying industry for truck drivers is the construction industry. High. Even if you cant move, knowing where your states trucker salary stands in relation to others is key to understanding how well youre compensated. How do I pay myself as an owner operator? As of July 2021, trucking rates per mile remain steady. I'd say a good starting number is 40. 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. But it's important to keep in mind that these are only averages for a CDL truck driver salary/pay, which means that the data includes individuals at all stages of their careers and in all types of trucking. Each company we work with has specific experience requirements for their drivers. In the realm of truck driving, heres a couple of CRAZY ways you can earn over $100k annually: If youre unhappy with your current truck driver salary, or are considering a new career as a trucker, its important you do some research. This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. $76,050 . Pay Period Salary; Per mile: $0.49: Per week: $1,183: Per month: $4,731: Per year: $47,306: . Pay rates in the trucking industry vary greatly, and the rate youre paid per mile may be very different from your trucker friends. EMR Drivers Service the Route, not the Truck. Truck drivers on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $40,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $90,000. Here are nine of the highest-paying jobs in trucking you may consider. Most people assume that owner-operators earn more money per year, and in most cases, they would be right. Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation. Other actions can result in a suspension after multiple violations. Coronavirus-related safety measures didn't impact insurance premiums much, Nuest said. Passenger vehicle drivers operate buses, taxis, and other modes of transportation to take people from place to place. This statistic depicts the average total marginal cost per mile for freight trucking in the United Sates from 2017 to 2020, broken down by region. And is it beneficial? In comparison, Amazon is ranging between $50,000-$60,000 on average, and Sysco is averaging around $80,000. The need for truck drivers should rise as households and businesses increase their spending and their demand for goods. Build a reputation as a good driver. Most transportation jobs revolved around transporting meat, milk, and grains from farms to markets. 2-time, consecutive Agent of the Year Award in Landstar history. In addition to the above driver pay amounts, don't forget about the value of a comprehensive truck driver benefits package. 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 The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile. 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. All long-haul truck drivers must have a commercial drivers license (CDL). This week, Roehl put in place its second pay increase of this year, which together should increase driver pay at the company . The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,710, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $72,730. Truck drivers can have their CDL suspended if they are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or are convicted of a felony involving the use of a motor vehicle. Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts. With 5 years of experience add 5-7 cents per mile to that number. Putting Walmart aside, the median annual pay for big-rig drivers in 2021, per BLS, was $48,310 or about $23 an hour. What is the highest paying truck driver job? Average Pay: $0.40 per mile Below Average Pay: $0.28 per mile Above Average Pay: $0.45-$0.50 per mile There are some people who recommend not accepting pay that's less than $0.40 per mile, which equates to about $40,000 per year for most drivers. The highest-paying trucking company is GP Transco. The average salary for truck drivers is $59,684, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. . At the time of writing, the national average flatbed truck rates are $3.14 per mile. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically do the following: Most heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers routes are assigned by a dispatcher, but some independent drivers still plan their own routes. States have the right to refuse to issue a CDL to anyone who has had a CDL suspended by another state. Truckers have to know how to handle the elements and how to fix their trucks if they break down on a trip. at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/heavy-and-tractor-trailer-truck-drivers.htm (visited March 03, 2023). Most drivers complete between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. Carriers also use driver benefits to recruit and retain drivers. Additionally, truck drivers make more than the average salary in Newark, NJ, New York, NY, Salem, NH, Richmond, KY, and Philadelphia, PA. On a more broad level, truck driver salaries are highest in Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. They travel with a team including a spotter so that their journey is safe from start to finish. There are three primary factors that determine a driver's percentage amount. If the haul, or trip, equals out to 800 miles then the driver will make $640. 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. Average truck driver pay per mile is between 28 and 40 cents per mile. Safe driving, minimal damages, and other professional driving habits save the company money. The median overall annual salary for a heavy and tractor-trailer driver was $59,683 in 2019. Based on the average salary data we have, we can make the following conclusions: There are some people who recommend not accepting pay thats less than $0.40 per mile, which equates to about $40,000 per year for most drivers. 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. $67,501. The median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $48,310 in May 2021. If the spot market continues to thrive in 2021, so will wages. . January - September 2021: $66 per day October - December 2021: $69 per day Industrial workers received a set amount per piece or ton of material. Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. The trucking industry may also mention limiting overhead costs and encouraging efficiency. The average pay for dedicated drivers can range from $0.40 to $0.64 per mile. Please enable javascript to play this video. Thats why its important as a trucker to work for an employer that offers above average or, in the very least, fair pay per mile, so this can offset the extra time you spend off the clock, so to speak. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Estimated average of $3,421 per week Company Solo Driver $0.37 - $0.60 per mile Up to 3,000 miles per week Estimated average of $1,239 per week Owner Operator Driver $1.22 - $1.75 per mile Up to 3,000 miles per week Estimated average of $4,162 per week Salaries by years of experience in California Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers usually have a high school diploma and attend a professional truck driving school. According to the United States Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 1.9 million truck drivers employed . If you drove all 52 weeks in a year at those rates, you would earn between $29,120 and $62,400. But many trucking companies will only pay this rate to drivers with experience in the industry. Carriers are betting on widespread vaccine distribution to give way to a stronger 2021, particularly for the transport sectors sluggish in 2020, such as food service and industrial. Most drivers complete between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. On these team runs, one driver sleeps in a berth behind the cab while the other drives. In salaried terms, the average maximum pay . Gross pay is the total wage you earn, without deducting health care expenses, federal income tax, or social security and Medicare tax. Landstar DUV /RKY Agency 10922 State Route 212 NE Bolivar, Ohio 44612. Comparing per-mile rates with modern wage standards is necessary to understand the difference between an hourly-based system and a mileage-based system. The highest-paid trucking company is Walmart. Cookie Policy | Drivers are expected to travel between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours that a long-haul truck driver may work. Reduced costs in several line items contributed to the drop after the freight boom in 2018, as outlined in many of the charts below. A flourishing spot market lured smaller carriers and owner operators into the industry, and these fleets often buy used equipment. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers held about 2.1 million jobs in 2021. Here are nine of the highest-paying jobs in trucking you may consider. Costs are down with lower diesel prices mostly contributing to the drop, ATRI said. In addition, some drivers have routes that include Mexico or Canada. Drivers saw the minimum wage as a cap on their potential earnings. A dedicated driver that focuses on deliveries for a single company enjoys consistency with a specific route and enjoys more home time. For the first quarter of 2022, the average owner-operator has . And in a world full of traffic jams, delays and inspections, drivers are donating more of their time than they did in the past. Trucking's average operational costs per mile vary year to year, based on several line items, including driver wages, equipment costs, tolls and fuel. Call Recruiting 877-441-9128. The average yearly salary for entry-level employees is $39,406, while the average yearly pay for experienced professionals may reach $62,482. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects petroleum demand to remain low through 2021, which will keep diesel prices and fuel costs low for carriers. Although fatalities are uncommon,heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers experience one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities of all occupations. May be required to unload truck. Delaware pays Truck Drivers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $71,360 per year, or $34.31 per hour. Most truck drivers are paid on a cents-per-mile basis. He included a provision in the FSLA that exempted truck drivers from minimum wage requirements. The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings. If you drove all 52 weeks in a year at those rates, you would earn between $29,120 and $62,400. 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. Owner-operators bring home about this much. The average truck driver's pay per mile is between 28 and 40 cents per mile. Railroad workers ensure that passenger and freight trains operate safely. Find A High Paying Truck Driver Job Near Me, To create our salary estimates, Zippia starts with data published in publicly available sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC). However, the costs of maintaining that truck can be so high that after everything gets put into account for that-you pretty much can cut that earning potential in half. Costs fell 9% for TL carriers and 3.5% for LTL carriers from 2018 to 2019, according to ATRI. Is it possible to earn $100K a year driving trucks or will I earn a measly salary? Most drivers can average 2,000-3,000 miles in a 70-hour workweek. "Tire demand will reflect economic activity," ATRI stated, adding that tire costs are expected to rise over the next year. 1 Year For instance, a rookie driver earning 28 cents per mile for a 2,500-mile trip would receive $700. If you want to know why truck drivers do not receive hourly wages, the answer depends on whom you ask. Before sharing sensitive information, 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. Large carriers also tend to operate newer trucks with better fuel efficiency, thus contributing to lower fuel costs. If you have a proven track record, consider requesting compensation for significant delays. Don't go less than that if you're brand new with no experience. Without your consent employers will not be able to contact with job offers, would you like to opt-in now? Costs fell 9% for TL carriers and 3.5% for LTL carriers from 2018 to 2019, according to ATRI. Going off of these figures, truckers earn a higher salary than the average occupation in the U.S., which is $35,540 for all occupations. Full-time truck drivers can expect to spend up to 300 days a year . To set a fair price for your flatbed truck services, you need to consider things like: The trailer type you need to carry a load 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. In addition, companies like Air Products and Praxair report highly competitive wages for truck drivers. Consider contacting state and federal lawmakers and urging them to review the laws governing trucker pay. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics does provide some figures to go off of. Some companies are making the shift towards other compensation models, like hourly or even profit percentages. Well, typically, earning that much in the profession is pretty uncommon. This Congressional act removed ICC authority over trucking, freeing the industry. While many market factors are outside of fleets' control, firms can monitor and benchmark operational costs against industry averages. The Last Modified Date: The continuing trend will keep wages competitive and have fleets seeking ways to make the job of truck driving more attractive. 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 growth rate for all occupations is5 percent. Among other stipulations, the law introduced a federal minimum wage and held employers to workplace safety standards. Presidential Concession #1 + Quote Reply Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport. Most drivers complete between 2,000 and 3,000 miles per week. Many Schneider driver associates will earn up to an additional $.04 per mile effective January 24. If you drove all 52 weeks in a year at those rates, you would earn between $29,120 and $62,400. Other factors include location and employer. If we look at the ups truck driver salary statistics in USA as of March 1, 2023, the represented employee makes $85,674; to be more precise pay rate is $7,139.5 per month, $1,647.58 per week, or $42.67 per hour. The industry is short about 78,000 drivers, an improvement from last years 80,000-person gap estimate, the groups chief economist said. For all of 2021, the average owner-operator spent $45,605 on fuel. For more information about truck drivers, visit, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, For more information about truck driving schools and programs, visit, National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools. Fuel was fleets' second highest line-item cost in 2019, after driver wages. 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. Although such delays can reduce the drivers rate per hour, the rate per mile remains the same. The Southwest has the lowest load to truck ratios. Owner-operators may take in over $260,000 in gross revenue, but once you deduct expenses, maintenance and all of the costs that go along with running a truck, many dont earn much more than experienced company drivers. 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. . The new year is a time to start planning budgets and setting financial targets. In 2020, the Northeast was the . The average pay per mile for OTR drivers is $0.44 - $0.58 per mile. Despite the insurance cost trend, ATRI's data shows a drop in insurance costs from 2018 to 2019, which the institute described as "the most surprising cost center decrease.". Job Listing Rules. SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program. A major trucking firm is offering the biggest raises in its 60-year history to attract and retain drivers. The rest covers overhead expenses like permits, tolls, tires, and more. 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. Since rates vary with income levels, comparing gross pay rates is the fairest method of determining your hourly rate. About the Company JK is Increasing Minimum Company Driver Pay to. What Is the Average Local Truck Driver Salary by State How Much Do Local Truck Driver Jobs Pay per Year? However, that doesnt take into account drivers who might not work full-time or compare the differences between independent drivers and company drivers. Truck driver salaries vary depending on region, type of equipment, and a driver's experience level.

average truck driver pay per mile 2021 2023