Good news! There’s a 77% chance that you’re going to get a pay bump this year! At least, that’s what companies are saying. When polled, 77% of companies surveyed stated that they expect to raise driver pay this year. In the poll done by Transport Capital Partners, about 50% of companies said that they expect to raise driver pay by 2% to 5% this year. Nearly 25% of carriers plan to raise driver pay by less than 2%, and only 3.3% of carriers said that they would raise pay by 6%-10%.
The pay hikes that they say are coming likely have something to do with trying to get drivers to stay with a company for longer. While paying drivers more is a obvious way to incentivize drivers to stay, even the 5% increase that some companies say they will offer may not be enough. A 5% increase on a $40,000 salary is only $2,000. An extra $2k can go a long way, but that’s as much as some companies will offer you as a sign-on bonus if you switch over to driving for them.
Yes, a pay hike will help keep a driver where they are, but CPM is only one of the reasons that a driver can be unhappy. Not getting enough loads, outdated or unsafe equipment, and pushy dispatchers demanding unsafe and illegal driving hours are all just a few of the major reasons drivers decide that it’s time to move on.
By all means, raise drivers’ pay, but companies should also consider listening to their drivers and making changes that will keep them happy and on the road.
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Source: Fleetowner
Dan says
So about 38% of drivers will get a raise. Consider that half of all trucking companies lie about driver compensation, 35 to 40 % sounds about right.
j_frog says
They better hurry. The year is almost over. I keep hearing this and don’t see
anything
James says
A pay raise is a good thing if there are miles to go with it. Not so much, if there isn’t. 🙂
Franke schein says
The entire trucking industry is paid upon ton/mile standard, except truck drivers.
It’s only broken down into the CPM in order to better get a grip on the cost vs revenue for each load.
Drivers need to be on hourly wage instead of the pay per mile standard.
With some carriers experiencing record profits if $250-million per quarter,
It’s time to pay a fair wage for the driver employee creating this rolling revenue.
mike gardella says
I wont hold my breath, if they are able to recruit as many or more than are quitting, wages are unlikely to go up at that company..thats how the otr companies roll, its hard to get benefits that they ALREADY promise to fulfill most of the time at “fill in the blank” otr carrier. wages have infact gone DOWN at the lower tier’s of trucking, it would be nice if the wages went back to where they were.
with all of the new regulations, eobr’s,csa, etc. im hoping they make it so they can switch us to mandatory hourly payrates sooner rather than later.
Billy says
Are drivers stupid or is that what recruiters think? I threw out a app not long ago and was bombarded with calls and emails. As an experienced driver with over 10 safe years I ask on phone calls what is pay based upon? I hear ah what? As a driver I want to know do you pay by PC miler, Hub or Rand , what about detention/ break down pay/ drop and hooks and I hear duh! You have to be kidding me! Ask about home time they say weekends if your lucky yea right 34 hours after you leave the truck till log on for PT.
A few years ago freight was down, you could find a slot at a pickle park at 3AM we gave to them vacation time, gave up paid holidays, lowered mileage pay as a result. But freight is up their profits way up but yet the drivers are hearing times are tough. Yea when unemployment pays more than driving their truck can sit .
Willis says
I went from $29,000 in one year on unemployment to $16000 or so first year driving. I wont even mention the pay of the job I lost. Lets just say it was more than 5 times what I made as a first year driver. I told my driver leader that & he quit his job the next week.
ckm8kng2 says
“The pay hikes that they say are coming likely have something to do with trying to get drivers to stay with a company for longer” Yea right, not from what I see. I see trucking companies operating their own trucking schools so they have a constant supply of in-experienced new drivers that make the lowest wages. And when it comes time to dispatch the most sought after loads with the most miles,who gets those loads?? The drivers with the most experience and best safty record or the new driver that makes the least amount of money.
Northstar says
Have been in the process of working with a labor attorney . Looks as though “ALL” of us commercial company drivers who use daily hours of service may be able to file a class action lawsuit. Seems that because we are running under Department of Transportation rules and laws…We would get the benifit from…The Department of labor which uses a rule that any employee is to be paid no less than minimum wage at any time he or she is required by the employer to be on working duty….So we as drivers to perfectly comply with the HOS would be on duty as a employee while waiting to load or unload…So our employers would be required to pay us a minimum wage during that time….Interesting when you think isn’t it….It would be a great victory to all drivers because your full work time would then be compensated ..At some level ..Say you work for Knight and have to do a LA local your total driving was 70 miles which winds up taking you 9 hours you would then by law be compensated no less than the 9 hours x minimum wage.
Willis says
So if this holds true its a double edged sword for the company. They would have to compensate good drivers who have no loads & also compensate them non running guys who just care about staying in the truck so theyre not on the street. Theyd have to compensate them as well for not wanting to run & just hangout at the truck stops?
Porter says
That is not correct. Drivers engaged in interstate commerce, fall under the Department of Transportation, rules, regulations, and governance, and are exempt from the hourly pay, or FLSA. Motor Carriers are exempt from the Fair Labor Standrds Act, which is the hourly rate, 40 hours per week, and overtime after 40. Likewise, train engineers fall under the Federal Railway Standards Act. And, are exempt from the hourly standard as well. If I was you, then I find a different attorney. Because, he/she is taking your money, and telling you false information. Further, questions on this issue may be raised with USDOT, State Employment Office, and Federal Agencies within your State. Unless you are under a union contract, collective bargaining agreement, there’s no requirement for any employer, motor carrier, to compensate per an hourly wage. This is codified in 49 U.S.C. § 31502, and 29 U.S.C. § 213(b)(1). Drivers may contact their State Attorney General’s Office, to determine how that particular State codifies drivers, under the authority of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation,
pertaining to overtime differentials, and hourly wages. Most, if not all States, refer to the Federal regulation.
Billy says
Rather explains why driving sucks don’t it.
Eric says
Until companies start paying hourly at or at least a fair wage (50cpm or more) these little raises wont help.
aaron turner says
Well they are still paying the same rates national as they were 15 years ago.34.cents out west and 43 east coast.OWNER OPPS STILL GETING AVG 90 TO 1.25 THEY MADE THAT BACK IN 1989.bIG TRUCKING COMPANIES.have destroyed the trucking with the help of the feds and states making drivers pay for nearly everything.
aaron turner says
you are right not just knight but many other big companies there is one class action law suit all ready agianst knight now that i have.we need a real union to rep. the drivers of this country.big trucking outfits and the feds and state screw the drivers and it time we all get together do something about it.
Will says
yeah, its pretty bad that everyone in the company makes more than the Driver, and the Driver is the one making the $$ for the company
Will says
Sorry Northstar, you are incorrect.
Yes, we are under Dept of Transportation laws. However , DoT is not just highways and Trucks…It is ALL Transportation.
Truck Drivers fall under maritime laws in labor and compensation….ridiculous, isnt it…but thats where the ATA and owners of Truck companies want us, for obvious reasons.
Welcome to the world of 2nd class citizenship
Andrew says
The lack of an effective worker union for drivers means that their compensation keeps going down hill. Carrier X can’t charge more to haul freight because then they’ll lose business to the cheaper Carrier Y. This low-ball competitiveness means that the trucking companies can’t make good money and pay drivers what they deserve. A good driver union would fix that by making it mandatory for ALL drivers to be paid more, so no single carrier would have an advantage. They would all have to up rates. The other problem caused by lack of union support is that cities and town keep killing support for truck drivers. Truck stops are abolished. Rest areas are closed. The local townspeople have representation which they use to shove truck drivers out of town. They want the distribution centers and the jobs such DC’s bring, but they expect the trucks to come in by magic carpet in the middle of the night and disappear by morning. Then they wonder why they have so many “trucker bombs” to clean up on the roadside. Truck drivers sense the hatred and disrespect shown to them by shipper/receivers and local townspeople and can’t help but deeply resent the lack of support which causes them suffering and pain. They are essentially nomads and have no representation. The frustration comes out one way or the other.
Local government needs to focus on supporting truck drivers with parking, restrooms, showers etc., so that they can feel like respected human beings and then attention can be turned to the “Don’t do this or that” rules. Instead what we have now is an endless barrage of “Don’t park here” and “No you can’t park there either.” and “Get out of our town. We hate you.” and “Stop running your engine. You are a truck driver, so you should be happy to freeze to death or spend your 10 hour break in a sauna-hot truck and get no sleep. It’s your problem if your employer won’t provide an Auxillary Power Unit to keep you cool and well rested. We don’t care. As stated before we hate and disrespect you! And another thing, some of you talk about your problems and how you should be treated better. Shut Up! You are a worthless sub-human dog who is supposed to know their role and keep their trap shut!”
Howard says
Getting paid by the hour will not help. We need to be paid salary. A common practice at all trucking companies is to make it where you don’t make anything if you make them mad. Frey Miller is such a company. The only way to fix that problem. Is for us to be paid salary. 75 to 100 grand a year. That’s where the pay needs to be at. And we need to get the ATA.out of our industry. That’s one of the biggest problems we have out here. They do not speak for the driver’s.