Trucking Pay Structure

Truck Driving Pay Structure

Some truck drivers get paid hourly. Many of the hourly paid company truck drivers drive either locally or regionally. There is a pretty large gap in the rage of their pay within the same job descriptions especially when comparing some of the union jobs to non union truck driving jobs. The range can be all the way from $7 or $8 dollars up to $16 dollars for straight trucks depending on the company.

If you drive a tractor trailer hourly it can be from around $10 to $20 dollars.

Over the Road
There is no quick on answer the question, “how much does a company driver make?” Especially not over the road company drivers. Many other questions must be asked to get a close to accurate figure.

A new company driver pulling a regular dry van hauling regular freight over the road can expect to get around $25,000 to $35,000.

An experienced driver pulling regular dry van hauling regular freight over the road can expect to get around $35,000 to $55,000.

An experienced driver pulling regular dry van hauling regular freight with an excellent driving record (which mean he or she could go to more selective companies can get $45,000 to $70,000. If you specialize for instance heavy hauling, low boys, household, cattle, hazardous materials, even refrigerated you can expect to get paid more. For top pay in your qualification range you must search for top paying trucking companies, they won’t come to you!

To get the most accurate figures though you can simply pick up your local newspaper and look at what is being advertised in your area. Of course all the trucking companies that hire in your area will know be in your local paper because most carriers are located where it is cost efficient but they do operate and hire in your area. To find these companies, you need to search online or visit your local truck stop and pick up trucking jobs magazines located in the front of the building, just inside the door or near the drivers area.

Like I said there is a lot of variations. Smaller companies pay different amounts to drivers in different areas of the country. These trucking jobs are likely to be in your local newspaper. You will also see the conglomerates in local newspapers. What you won’t see represented so much is the many, many midsized trucking companies. Don’t just look in your local paper, it’s less than 1 percent of trucking jobs available.

Of course pay amount for drivers will also vary based on if you are intra-state, regional or over the road. What we’re talking about earlier is basically over the road trucking, which are the easiest jobs you will be able to get hired at as a new driver.

All said and done a company drivers can make as much or more than an owner operator driving the same equipment and hauling regular freight, with the right company, if he or she keeps a clean driving record, find a good trucking company and get some experience.

Owner Operators
People always wants to know how much does an owner operator make. There are many variables to how much an owner operator makes. It mostly depends on the type of truck driving jobs they chose (what they’re hauling) and how they are paid. They may get paid percentage of the freight charge or paid by the mile. Just like a company drivers, the more specialize the freight the more is paid.

Typically a owner operator hauling regular freight over the road can expect to gross $100,000 – $150,000. Remember this is gross!

At the end of the year after taxes and all the expenses come out an owner operator (depending on how his operation is set up) end up with anywhere from $35,000 – $75,000.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics and Life As a Trucker