Average salary for cdl drivers: The Pay Scale For Truck Drivers

Опубликовано: January 20, 2022 в 10:12 am

Автор: alexxlab

Категории: Miscellaneous

The Pay Scale For Truck Drivers

Trucker Pay & Benefits 101

Long drives, big trucks, and truck stop food are just some of the things that go along with being a trucker today. For a truck driver, however, the biggest incentive is their paycheck…

We’re well into 2022 and freight demand is on the rise again. Truck drivers are still in high demand with a massive lack of qualified drivers to fill the ranks of many trucking companies.

But for potential drivers, the biggest question remains:

how much does truck driving pay in 2022?

There are a few variables that go into the “average” we use, but it comes from over 6.5 million salaries submitted from truckers online and job boards.

A large data source of this kind allows us to have a better understanding of how much the average trucker will make and share it with you. Remember, this is a national average and you should check with each company to verify the data in your area.

Our new median pay is $59,158

This comes out to drivers earning $1,137 per week. From the data set provided, we can also see that at the lowest point, salaries were $17,200 per year. We’re assuming that this is a part-time position wherein the driver did not log a lot of time.

Alternatively, the high-end salary was $166,000 per year. These drivers either have a very long tenure, but most likely they’re owner-operators.

#	Company (Click For Profile)	Annual Pay
1	GP Transco	$90,000
2	Barr-Nunn	$87,142
3	Wal-Mart	$87,013
4	Epes Transport	$83,921
5	Hogan Transportation	$83,876
6	Mercer Transportation	$83,740
7	Grand Island Express	$83,000
8	Artur Express Inc	$82,955
9	Gypsum Express	$82. 244
10	ATS Trucking	$80,000
11	Brady Trucking	$79,906
12	Freymiller Inc	$79,700
13	Western Express	$79,628
14	DOT Foods Transportation	$77,807
15	Central Oregon Truck Company	$77,502
16	Trimac Transportation	$76,796
17	Real Trucking Inc	$75,660
18	Sysco	$75,547
19	Estes Trucking	$75,000
20	PTL Trucking	$75,000
21	Foodliner	$74,580
22	ABF Freight	$73,562
23	Hub Group	$73,500
24	Dupre Logistics	$73,488
25	Heniff Transportation	$72,800
26	Central Transport	$72,540
27	Holland Freight	$72,086
28	Riverside Transport	$71,880
29	Hilco Transport	$71,777
30	Shaffer Trucking	$71,477
31	United Road	$71,305
32	Penske Logistics	$70,601
33	Jack Cooper Transport	$70,328
34	Koch Trucking	$69,962
35	McLane Trucking	$69,779
36	Western Dairy Transport	$69,707
37	Cassens Transport	$69,623
38	Old Dominion	$69,000
39	Dana Transport	$68,380
40	Lily Transportation	$68,000
41	Experior Transport	$67,914
42	A. Duie Pyle	$67,727
43	Red Classic Transit	$67,340
44	Cardinal Logistics	$67,244
45	Nussbaum Transportation	$67,147
46	Western Flyer Xpress	$67,111
47	Cowan Systems	$66,644
48	Fed-Ex Freight	$66,462
49	Smith Transport	$66,265
50	Werner Trucking	$66,108
51	Crete Carrier	$66,000
52	Arka Express	$65,693
53	National Carriers	$65,596
54	JB Hunt	$65,512
55	RoadRunner Freight	$65,400
56	Road Scholar Transport	$65,393
57	Ruan Transportation	$65,183
58	XPO Logistics	$65,071
59	DART Transit	$64,739
60	Total Transportation of Mississippi	$64,673
61	Dayton Freight	$64,389
62	Black Horse Carriers	$64,272
63	Decker Truck Line	$63,124
64	USF Reddaway	$62,864
65	Averitt Express	$62,750
66	Action Resources	$62,737
67	Venture Express	$62,608
68	Yellow Freight	$62,282
69	Transport America	$62,253
70	AAA Cooper Transportation	$61,252
71	System Transport	$61,503
72	NFI Industries	$61,491
73	Kreilkamp Trucking	$61,167
74	Veriha Trucking	$60,057
75	P&S Transportation	$60,000
76	Big G Express	$59,701
77	Roehl Transport	$59,652
78	Mesilla Valley Transportation	$59,399
79	N&M Transfer	$58,779
80	Watkins Shepard	$58,431
81	Coastal Transport	$58,422
82	K&B Transportation	$58,322
83	Acme Truck Line	$58,245
84	ACI Motor Freight	$58,023
85	UPS Freight	$57,866
86	Knight Transportation	$57,710
87	Bulkmatic Transport	$57,276
88	Covenant Transport	$56,787
89	Magnum Trucking	$56,706
90	R&L Carriers	$56,704
91	Gardner Trucking	$56,305
92	Pitt Ohio	$56,000
93	Garner Trucking	$55,000
94	TMC Trucking	$54,907
95	Kenan Advantage Group	$54,714
96	Heartland Express	$54,600
97	Stevens Transport	$54,362
98	Schneider National	$53,600
99	Navajo Express	$53,230
100	Central Freight Lines	$52,991
101	Ceva Logistics	$52,595
102	Con-Way Freight	$52,480
103	Southeastern Freight Lines	$52,472
104	McElroy Truck Lines	$52,409
105	CFI Trucking	$52,402
106	Pinnacle Transport Group	$52,120
107	Halvor Lines	$52,131
108	United States Postal Service Freight	$51,869
109	Rush Trucking	$51,740
110	Blue Max Trucking	$51,585
111	Gazelle Transportation	$51,163
112	Melton Truck Lines	$51,000
113	Bennett Motor Express	$51,000
114	CRST Trucking	$49,985
115	Indian River Transport	$49,920
116	Andrus Transportation	$49,912
117	PAM Transport	$49,816
118	TransAm Trucking	$49,244
119	Ward Trucking	$49,200
120	KLLM Transport	$58,728
121	New Penn Motor Express	$48,440
122	Maverick Trucking	$47,687
123	Tri-National Inc	$47,627
124	May Trucking	$46,835
125	Ozark Motor Lines	$46,713
126	Prime Inc	$46,187
127	Boyd Bros Transportation	$46,262
128	Panther Trucking	$46,083
129	Horizon Transport	$46,002
130	FFE Transportation	$45,892
131	Spirit Truck Lines	$44,985
132	Carter Express	$44,816
133	Pride Transport	$44,589
134	Raider Express	$44,362
135	InterState Distributor	$43,663
136	CT Transport	$42,952
137	WTI Transport	$42,920
138	CR England	$42,695
139	USA Truck Inc	$42,377
140	Carolina Cargo	$41,600
141	Millis Transfer	$41,333
142	Cypress Truck Lines	$40,402
143	CH Robinson	$40,016
144	Falcon Transport	$39,878
145	Swift Transportation	$38,851
146	Southern Refrigerated Transport	$35,202
147	Lazer Sport Inc	$34,627
148	John Christner Trucking	$33,799
149	Star Transportation	$31,252
150

Pay Per Hour

Often, truck drivers will negotiate their salaries around a rate that is based on mileage and not on hours. For an experienced independent truck driver, the rate per mile could be as high as 60 cents a mile. This means for an experienced independent truck driver traveling an average of 70 miles an hour on the interstate can make an average of 42 dollars an hour. If the haul, or trip, equals out to 800 miles then the driver will make $480. This of course does not include his or her rates for accommodations.

Experience and Reputation

The average driver pay is based on your specific driving experience and reputation.

A reputable truck driver is often going to get paid a higher rate because he or she is in high demand.

Until a driver builds a reputation as a professional and reliable CDL driver they will have to be satisfied with a lower pay rate. Just like many other job professions out there, the amount you earn will depend on a person’s ability to perform at or above the employer’s expectations.

UPS Driver Salary

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How Much Do Ice Road Truckers Make?

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Armored Truck Driver Salary

Best Paying Trucking Companies List

#	Company (Click For Profile)	Annual Pay
1	GP Transco	$90,000
2	Barr-Nunn	$87,142
3	Wal-Mart	$87,013
4	Epes Transport	$83,921
5	Hogan Transportation	$83,876
6	Mercer Transportation	$83,740
7	Grand Island Express	$83,000
8	Artur Express Inc	$82,955
9	Gypsum Express	$82. 244
10	ATS Trucking	$80,000
11	Brady Trucking	$79,906
12	Freymiller Inc	$79,700
13	Western Express	$79,628
14	DOT Foods Transportation	$77,807
15	Central Oregon Truck Company	$77,502
16	Trimac Transportation	$76,796
17	Real Trucking Inc	$75,660
18	Sysco	$75,547
19	Estes Trucking	$75,000
20	PTL Trucking	$75,000
21	Foodliner	$74,580
22	ABF Freight	$73,562
23	Hub Group	$73,500
24	Dupre Logistics	$73,488
25	Heniff Transportation	$72,800
26	Central Transport	$72,540
27	Holland Freight	$72,086
28	Riverside Transport	$71,880
29	Hilco Transport	$71,777
30	Shaffer Trucking	$71,477
31	United Road	$71,305
32	Penske Logistics	$70,601
33	Jack Cooper Transport	$70,328
34	Koch Trucking	$69,962
35	McLane Trucking	$69,779
36	Western Dairy Transport	$69,707
37	Cassens Transport	$69,623
38	Old Dominion	$69,000
39	Dana Transport	$68,380
40	Lily Transportation	$68,000
41	Experior Transport	$67,914
42	A. Duie Pyle	$67,727
43	Red Classic Transit	$67,340
44	Cardinal Logistics	$67,244
45	Nussbaum Transportation	$67,147
46	Western Flyer Xpress	$67,111
47	Cowan Systems	$66,644
48	Fed-Ex Freight	$66,462
49	Smith Transport	$66,265
50	Werner Trucking	$66,108
51	Crete Carrier	$66,000
52	Arka Express	$65,693
53	National Carriers	$65,596
54	JB Hunt	$65,512
55	RoadRunner Freight	$65,400
56	Road Scholar Transport	$65,393
57	Ruan Transportation	$65,183
58	XPO Logistics	$65,071
59	DART Transit	$64,739
60	Total Transportation of Mississippi	$64,673
61	Dayton Freight	$64,389
62	Black Horse Carriers	$64,272
63	Decker Truck Line	$63,124
64	USF Reddaway	$62,864
65	Averitt Express	$62,750
66	Action Resources	$62,737
67	Venture Express	$62,608
68	Yellow Freight	$62,282
69	Transport America	$62,253
70	AAA Cooper Transportation	$61,252
71	System Transport	$61,503
72	NFI Industries	$61,491
73	Kreilkamp Trucking	$61,167
74	Veriha Trucking	$60,057
75	P&S Transportation	$60,000
76	Big G Express	$59,701
77	Roehl Transport	$59,652
78	Mesilla Valley Transportation	$59,399
79	N&M Transfer	$58,779
80	Watkins Shepard	$58,431
81	Coastal Transport	$58,422
82	K&B Transportation	$58,322
83	Acme Truck Line	$58,245
84	ACI Motor Freight	$58,023
85	UPS Freight	$57,866
86	Knight Transportation	$57,710
87	Bulkmatic Transport	$57,276
88	Covenant Transport	$56,787
89	Magnum Trucking	$56,706
90	R&L Carriers	$56,704
91	Gardner Trucking	$56,305
92	Pitt Ohio	$56,000
93	Garner Trucking	$55,000
94	TMC Trucking	$54,907
95	Kenan Advantage Group	$54,714
96	Heartland Express	$54,600
97	Stevens Transport	$54,362
98	Schneider National	$53,600
99	Navajo Express	$53,230
100	Central Freight Lines	$52,991
101	Ceva Logistics	$52,595
102	Con-Way Freight	$52,480
103	Southeastern Freight Lines	$52,472
104	McElroy Truck Lines	$52,409
105	CFI Trucking	$52,402
106	Pinnacle Transport Group	$52,120
107	Halvor Lines	$52,131
108	United States Postal Service Freight	$51,869
109	Rush Trucking	$51,740
110	Blue Max Trucking	$51,585
111	Gazelle Transportation	$51,163
112	Melton Truck Lines	$51,000
113	Bennett Motor Express	$51,000
114	CRST Trucking	$49,985
115	Indian River Transport	$49,920
116	Andrus Transportation	$49,912
117	PAM Transport	$49,816
118	TransAm Trucking	$49,244
119	Ward Trucking	$49,200
120	KLLM Transport	$58,728
121	New Penn Motor Express	$48,440
122	Maverick Trucking	$47,687
123	Tri-National Inc	$47,627
124	May Trucking	$46,835
125	Ozark Motor Lines	$46,713
126	Prime Inc	$46,187
127	Boyd Bros Transportation	$46,262
128	Panther Trucking	$46,083
129	Horizon Transport	$46,002
130	FFE Transportation	$45,892
131	Spirit Truck Lines	$44,985
132	Carter Express	$44,816
133	Pride Transport	$44,589
134	Raider Express	$44,362
135	InterState Distributor	$43,663
136	CT Transport	$42,952
137	WTI Transport	$42,920
138	CR England	$42,695
139	USA Truck Inc	$42,377
140	Carolina Cargo	$41,600
141	Millis Transfer	$41,333
142	Cypress Truck Lines	$40,402
143	CH Robinson	$40,016
144	Falcon Transport	$39,878
145	Swift Transportation	$38,851
146	Southern Refrigerated Transport	$35,202
147	Lazer Sport Inc	$34,627
148	John Christner Trucking	$33,799
149	Star Transportation	$31,252
150

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to understand how much you can realistically earn your first year on the road?

What about owner-operators pay?

What about pay-per-mile averages?

How do diesel mechanics make?

What is the truth about a shortage of US truck drivers?

Can dispatch software help you earn more?

Are paid CDL programs truly free?

9 Highest Paying Trucking Salaries of 2022

Truck driver compensation is highly variable due to multiple factors. More experience, difficult loads, maintaining a clean driving record, a willingness to endure risk, and travel to remote locations are some traits of a driver who earns a higher than average salary.

For example, a hazmat driver transporting dangerous, toxic materials must operate their commercial vehicle with greater care and alertness. A hazardous materials accident, even a minor one, could lead to the evacuation of entire towns. A material leak or worse, an explosion could occur and possibly cause a mass casualty incident or environmental damage.

When you compare the risks of transporting hazardous materials with the average dry van load of toilet paper, it’s easy to see why a hazmat driver must be more attentive to safety, and why they receive a higher-than-average compensation. However, if transporting hazardous materials isn’t appealing to you, you have other options besides transporting hazardous materials to increase your pay.

How Much Is a Truck Driver’s Salary?

Salary: $45,000 to $60,000

Truck driver salaries vary depending on region, type of equipment, and a driver’s experience level. The average for drivers with their careers in full swing is around $45,000 to $60,000 annually. Depending on the company and with a safe driving record spanning several years, a driver can potentially earn upward of $70,000 or more. Drivers willing to train for extra endorsements and accept increased risk or time spent in remote areas can push their earnings much higher than average. We’ll go into that next.

9 Highest Paying Trucking Jobs

1. Owner-Operators

Salary: $247,850

Indeed lists the salary as $247,850, but this varies greatly and does not take into account all the factors. For example, an owner-operator cannot be classified as a job for the purposes of a site like Indeed, and rightly so. These drivers are much, much more than your average salaried employee. They are business owners operating a trucking company, even if they have just one truck.

An owner-operator’s responsibilities cover the full range of a trucking company’s operations., From managing expenses, to finding loads, to paying employees insurance, benefits, and wages. The skies are the limit for owner-operators, and their take-home pay ultimately depends on the amount of work they are willing (or able) to take on.

But an owner-operator doesn’t have to go it alone. Owner-Operators with 2.5 years or more experience are eligible to work with CloudTrucks. We give owner-operators complete freedom to run their business and the power of the back-end support of a primary carrier by giving them access to hundreds of curated loads.

For owner-operators who want to drive under our authority, we offer ourFlex program. Once a driver is approved, and they download the app, they are ready to accept the loads they like, and start earning.. Drivers who have signed on with CloudTrucks average a net income of $20,000 per month and get paid in minutes instead of months with our CT Cash card. Ready to learn more? Head on to our Getting Started.

2. Ice Road Drivers

Salary: $65,455 per year

Ice road driving became a famous trucking industry niche, when the History Channel launched the show: Ice Road Truckers. As depicted in the TV show, these drivers operate in the wilderness areas deep in the northern latitudes of Canada. They take on immense risk as they traverse challenging terrain and dangerous road conditions to deliver cargo to remote towns and mining operations. Optimal conditions for these loads exist for a few short months out of the year. These drivers earn a full year’s salary in that short period, giving them time to pursue other opportunities during the off-season or enjoy their time off for better work-life balance as a trucker.

To become an ice road trucker, you need several years of experience and a history of safe operation with a broad range of equipment. It’s considered one of the most challenging ways to drive a truck but also one of the most lucrative.

3. Oversized Load

Salary: $71,442 per year

Oversized loads, also known as over-dimension loads, exceed the standard legal dimensions set by federal regulations. As a result, oversized haulers must display a higher than average skill in maneuvering loads such as construction equipment, wind turbines, mobile homes, and industrial machinery. These drivers must follow additional regulations that specify the routes and times of day these loads are legally allowed to move. As a result, an escort crew is often required, and some companies require the driver to hire their escort team.

Because these large items are usually quite expensive, additional insurance and other precautions are required. A higher compensation for the driver behind the wheel of these behemoth loads comes with the territory.

4. Specialty Vehicle Haulers

Salary: $82,099

Specialty vehicle haulers transport high-value or specialty vehicles such as race cars, luxury automobiles, collectibles, and other expensive items–usually in an enclosed trailer. They must exercise extreme caution to avoid damaging these high-value loads. Even when parked, these drivers must take additional precautions to ensure another driver’s negligence doesn’t damage the load and follow special procedures to protect against theft.

5. Team Drivers

Salary: $96,573

Team drivers are the pinnacle of high-speed, long-range load delivery. Typically a team consists of two drivers in the same truck, driving in shifts to keep their load moving up to twenty-two hours a day. To give you an idea of how big a difference this makes, consider that it typically takes a solo driver six days to drive from coast to coast. A team can make the same trip in as little as three days. Companies that require such high-speed delivery pay more for the service, and the team of drivers, in turn, earns a much higher compensation.

6. Private Fleet

Salary: $95,999 – $110,000 per year

Some major retailers and manufacturers maintain their fleet of drivers to transport goods from their distribution centers or factories to their stores or customers. One of the most well-known private fleets in America is Walmart. Their drivers enjoy higher than average pay, shorter work weeks, and best-in-industry benefit packages. The caveat to private fleets is their high standards for hiring drivers. Some private fleets require many years of experience and clean driving records. However, they also enjoy extremely low turnover compared to the rest of the trucking industry.

7. Mining Industry Drivers

Salary: $58,862

These drivers operate massive dump trucks in mining and quarry operations. They must maintain a high level of productivity while on the clock while at the same time operating safely in an area where smaller commercial vehicles and company equipment are present. Outside the mining industry, you can find these trucks at specific industrial and port locations that handle raw materials and goods used at the base of our nation’s industrial chain.

8. Liquids / Tanker

Salary: $88,024

Because of the physics involved with liquids in large containers, something as simple as turning sharply or slamming on the brakes too hard can cause an instant disaster. A mistake with hazmat liquid loads such as gasoline or liquid propane can result in giant fireballs and extreme heat—often referred to as a “Viking Funeral” by the drivers. Acids and deadly fumes are also a part of the risk package for liquids/tanker drivers, and other drivers on the road often give them a wide berth. The compensation for liquids/tanker drivers reflects the hazardous loads they transport and the high level of skill they demonstrate in moving these materials safely.

9. Hazmat Drivers

Salary: $65,466

As mentioned earlier, hazmat drivers have to be on high alert. Their loads consist of dangerous and highly toxic materials. Any accident has a high potential to spark a disaster leading to loss of life, lengthy and expensive clean-up, and lost profits for the driver and company. Hazmat drivers must also pass a TSA (Transportation Security Administration) background investigation, maintain additional endorsements, and follow additional state and federal regulations.

Because of the need for specialized equipment and the additional risks and requirements associated with transporting hazardous materials, hazmat drivers typically earn a substantially higher salary than drivers operating a standard dry van, reefer, or flatbed unit.

Takeaway

Drivers who want to earn more in the trucking industry, go above and beyond the norm to acquire in-demand skills and endorsements that open new and lucrative doors for their careers. Even if you’ve recently acquired your CDL, these high-paying jobs will be within your reach once you’ve put in the time and maintained a safe, clean driving record.

CDL Driver Salary (September 2022) – Zippia

Updated August 22, 2022

$63,112yearly

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) Show More

$30.34 hourly

Entry level Salary

$41,000

yearly

$41,000

10 %

$63,112

Median

$96,000

90 %

How much does a CDL Driver make?

Cdl drivers make $63,112 per year on average, or $30. 34 per hour, in the United States. Cdl drivers on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $41,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $96,000.

Location impacts how much a cdl driver can expect to make. Cdl drivers make the most in Wyoming, Nevada, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Kansas.

Highest Paying State

Wyoming

Highest Paying City

Washington, DC

Highest Paying Company

GCP Applied Technologies

What Am I Worth?

Highest Paying State

Wyoming

Highest Paying City

Washington, DC

Highest Paying Company

GCP Applied Technologies

What Am I Worth?

Highest Paying States For CDL Drivers

The darker areas on the map show where cdl drivers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

State View
County View

Average Salary:

CDL Driver average salary by State

Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Count
1	North Dakota	$67,750	$32.57	5,697
2	Oklahoma	$67,855	$32.62	12,115
3	Kansas	$67,477	$32.44	13,392
4	Wyoming	$73,856	$35.51	1,169
5	Nebraska	$66,636	$32.04	8,132
6	Kentucky	$65,012	$31.26	12,522
7	South Dakota	$64,319	$30.92	5,485
8	Missouri	$66,014	$31.74	19,465
9	Arkansas	$64,128	$30.83	11,685
10	Nevada	$69,353	$33.34	1,455
11	Tennessee	$64,436	$30.98	15,106
12	New Mexico	$65,105	$31. 30	4,892
13	Utah	$67,164	$32.29	4,190
14	Indiana	$64,558	$31.04	14,591
15	Wisconsin	$64,571	$31.04	12,554
16	Illinois	$66,496	$31.97	23,511
17	Mississippi	$63,731	$30.64	4,835
18	Georgia	$64,358	$30.94	25,496
19	Iowa	$63,505	$30.53	11,508
20	Louisiana	$63,386	$30.47	10,509
21	Delaware	$65,585	$31.53	1,822
22	West Virginia	$62,783	$30.18	4,758
23	North Carolina	$63,359	$30.46	17,397
24	District of Columbia	$72,370	$34. 79	260
25	Alabama	$62,306	$29.95	15,051
26	Montana	$65,576	$31.53	821
27	Ohio	$62,548	$30.07	21,445
28	Vermont	$64,496	$31.01	603
29	Rhode Island	$63,907	$30.72	705
30	Michigan	$62,419	$30.01	13,627
31	Arizona	$64,021	$30.78	4,779
32	Idaho	$61,982	$29.80	4,215
33	Connecticut	$64,227	$30.88	2,020
34	Colorado	$63,940	$30.74	7,096
35	New Hampshire	$63,734	$30.64	818
36	Pennsylvania	$62,678	$30.13	18,296
37	Maryland	$64,356	$30. 94	6,363
38	Minnesota	$63,374	$30.47	14,471
39	South Carolina	$61,578	$29.60	13,060
40	Texas	$62,320	$29.96	41,396
41	Virginia	$62,409	$30.00	14,334
42	New York	$63,051	$30.31	13,381
43	New Jersey	$63,220	$30.39	4,062
44	Massachusetts	$62,640	$30.12	2,721
45	Alaska	$57,187	$27.49	151
46	Washington	$60,488	$29.08	8,211
47	Oregon	$58,789	$28.26	6,844
48	Maine	$60,395	$29.04	777
49	California	$59,751	$28.73	30,118
50	Hawaii	$54,637	$26. 27	181
51	Florida	$56,087	$26.96	6,478

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Top CDL Driver Jobs Near You

Highest Paying Cities For CDL Drivers

Rank	City	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Washington, DC	$72,415	$34.81
2	Oklahoma City, OK	$67,825	$32.61
3	Kansas City, KS	$67,365	$32.39
4	Salt Lake City, UT	$67,255	$32.33
5	Omaha, NE	$66,507	$31.97
6	Chicago, IL	$66,452	$31.95
7	Kansas City, MO	$66,263	$31.86
8	Newark, DE	$65,661	$31.57
9	Bowling Green, KY	$65,224	$31.36
10	Columbus, IN	$64,700	$31.11
11	Memphis, TN	$64,611	$31.06
12	Milwaukee, WI	$64,597	$31.06
13	Atlanta, GA	$64,579	$31.05
14	Columbia, MD	$64,400	$30. 96
15	Jacksonville, AR	$64,150	$30.84

CDL Driver Salary Details

Average CDL Driver Salary Graph, Trends, and Summary

What is a CDL Driver’s Salary?

Percentile	Annual Salary	Monthly Salary	Hourly Rate
90th Percentile	$96,000	$8,000	$46
75th Percentile	$78,000	$6,500	$38
Average	$63,112	$5,259	$30
25th Percentile	$50,000	$4,167	$24
10th Percentile	$41,000	$3,417	$20

Average Salary By Related Titles

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
Truck Driver-Over-The-Road	$69,158	$5,763	$33. 25	689,630
Tractor-Trailer Driver	$58,498	$4,875	$28.12	690,787
Truck Driver Class A	$63,270	$5,272	$30.42	709,900
Over The Road Driver	$62,119	$5,177	$29.86	711,143
Commercial Truck Driver	$64,512	$5,376	$31.02	719,069
Haul Truck Driver	$60,932	$5,078	$29.29	704,286

Here are the five companies hiring the most now:

Walmart Jobs (799)
Sysco Jobs (878)
Crete Carrier Jobs (868)
C.R. England Jobs (745)
McLane Jobs (779)

Which Companies Pay CDL Drivers The Most?

The highest paying companies for cdl drivers are GCP Applied Technologies and Jordan Company according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, companies like Hobby Lobby and Univar report highly competitive wages for cdl drivers.

How Much Do CDL Drivers Make In Different Industries?

Cdl driver salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the retail, transportation, and manufacturing industries tend to offer much higher salaries for cdl drivers. For example, cdl drivers make a whopping average salary of $63,457 while working in the retail industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $62,373 in the transportation industry and $61,455 in the manufacturing industry.

Cdl drivers may want to avoid working in the education industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $49,386.

Highest Paying Industries For CDL Drivers

Rank	Industry	Average Salary	Hourly Rate
1	Retail	$63,457	$30.51
2	Transportation	$62,373	$29.99
3	Manufacturing	$61,455	$29.55
4	Hospitality	$55,799	$26. 83
5	Education	$49,386	$23.74

High Paying CDL Driver Jobs

CDL Driver Salary Trends

The salary for a cdl driver can vary depending on the years of experience that a person has, from entry level to senior level. Data on how experience level affects total compensation is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of their National Compensation Survey, which is based on factors such as knowledge, complexity, contacts, and environment.

Entry Level

Senior Level

Average CDL Driver Salary Over Time

Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Recently Added CDL Driver Salaries

CDL Driver Salaries FAQs

What state pays CDL Drivers the most?

Wyoming pays CDL Drivers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $73,856 per year, or $35.51 per hour.

How do I know if I’m being paid fairly as a CDL Driver?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a CDL Driver if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in District of Columbia you should be paid close to $72,370 per year.

What type of CDL Driver gets paid the most?

Truck Driver-Over-The-Road gets paid the most. Truck Driver-Over-The-Road made a median salary of $69,158. The best-paid 10 percent make $81,000, while the lowest-paid 10 percent make $58,000.

Do truckers make good money?

Yes, truckers make good money. While there is a great deal of variability in earning depending on the type of truck driver and whether you own your own trucking driving company.

For example, the average salary for a truck driver is $68,000 per year but can range from anywhere from $25,740 per year up to $100,000 per year. A truck driver who owns his own truck can even earn upwards of $150,000 a year.

How much do CDL drivers make per mile?

CDL drivers make between $0.48 to $0.75 per mile. While a company solo truck driver might earn around $0.40 to $0. 68 per mile, an owner-operated driver earns between $0.94 to $1.79 per mile.

How much do CDL drivers make starting out?

CDL drivers make $52,154 a year starting out. A CDL driver’s salary has the potential to range from as high as $78,500 a year and as low as $23,500 a year. For example, the top 90% earn around $72,500 a year, while the bottom 10% earn around $27,000.

Have more questions? See all answers to common transportation questions.

Search For CDL Driver Jobs

Updated August 22, 2022

NSTS Blog |10 HIGHEST TRUCK DRIVER SALARIES BY STATE IN 2021

The NSTS Team

February 7, 2020

Are you thinking about becoming a professional truck driver? You probably asked yourself: how much can I make as a truck driver? Or will my trucker salary support my family? Is it possible to earn $100K a year driving trucks or will I earn a measly salary? What will road life be like…is it worth it?

90% of all the consumer products and food in the world are transported by a truck to their final destination; therefore, a truck driver is very much needed for the growth of an economy. The salary of a truck driver is dependent on various factors such as where they are based, the distance traveled, the size of the vehicle, the hiring company size, seniority, driver qualifications, working conditions, pay structure etc. This comprehensive guide analyzes what you can make as truck driver in North America and how you can increase your income.

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.

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make a Year?

Truck driver salary varies from different factors: truck drivers’ experience, reputation, knowledge and much more. In 2018 according to Bureau of Labor, the average salary for truck drivers is $ $43,680. However, that doesn’t take into account drivers who might not work full-time or compare the differences between independent drivers and company drivers. 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.

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the difference for America’s roughly 3.5 million truck drivers is that wages should remain steady for the anticipated future as the industry struggles with finding enough drivers to fill its orders, especially as many experienced drivers begin to retire.

Hourly Truck Driver Wage

If you’re a seasoned driver, you have earning potential you can earn as much as 60 cents per mile, according to TruckDriverSalary.com. Negotiating rates that are based around mileage (cents-per-mile) instead of hours can be a smart career move for drivers. With that in mind, a truck driver that has an average speed of 70 MPH can bring about $42 an hour. Unfortunately, unless you have been driving for a long time and have a great driving reputation, there’s not a lot of room for negotiating pay. 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 there’s certain days where traffic or road conditions are unfavorable. These are all normal factors that play into the pay rates of truck driving.

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
Tow Truck Driver: $35,000
Commercial Truck Driver: $50,000
Route Truck Driver: $37,500

The Best States for Truck Driver Salaries

How much a trucker actually makes will depend on how they’re paid. The vast majority of trucking companies pay their drivers by the mile rather than the hour, so a lot depends on how many miles you drive. Other factors include location and employer.

State salaries in the U.S. tend to be all over the map — literally. Even new drivers working for the same company can expect different pay rates based on where they live. In a new original study, Seek Business Capital examined average annual truck driver wage data from the BLS by state in relation to the average per capita income and the results show the profound effect location has on salary and could justify an interstate move for many truckers struggling to make ends meet.

Here are the 10 best states for truck drivers which also takes the state’s cost of living into account:

The Worst States for Truck Driver Salaries

Though not a state, the data for Washington D.C. is too compelling to ignore. Here are the 10 worst states, plus D.C., for truck driver states:

How to Bring Home 6 Figures as a Truck Driver

So, you’ve entered trucking with the intention of earning as much as $100,000 each year. How do you do it? Well, typically, earning that much in the profession is pretty uncommon. In fact, it can take 10 years of experience to start earning about $60k annually. However, it’s likely that drivers retire before they are able to reach that sought-after 6 figure salary.

In the realm of truck driving, here’s a couple of CRAZY ways you can earn over $100k annually:

Ice Road Trucking: Ice road truckers are the highest paid in the specialty field with oversized load drivers and Hazmat haulers following closely behind. Due to the danger of the job and high risk, ice road truckers have the ability to earn an entire year’s salary in just a couple months’ time. These are the best of the best in the industry. Skill is required beyond anything else. Truckers have to know how to handle the elements and how to fix their trucks if they break down on a trip. Reportedly, a 3-month season can potentially have someone earning more than $120,000 a year.
Oversized load drivers: Oversized load drivers definitely make a comfortable living. A high level of concentration and a great deal of patience is needed for this job. It takes a great deal of skill to keep a large road straight. Sharing the road with oncoming traffic is always a hazard for them. They travel with a team including a spotter so that their journey is safe from start to finish. But, if you’re not willing to put your butt on the line to earn that cash, how does a truck driver expect to bring home anywhere between $100,000 and $150,000?
Owner-operators bring home about this much. 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.

Where Does This Leave You?

If you’re unhappy with your current truck driver salary, or are considering a new career as a trucker, it’s important you do some research. While moving across state lines isn’t achievable for everyone, it could make a huge difference in how much you’re paid, as well as how far that money goes. Even if you can’t move, knowing where your state’s trucker salary stands in relation to others is key to understanding how well you’re compensated.

Truck Driver Salary: Averages & Weekly Pay

Apply To Drive

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District Of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Experienced Class A Driver

Have Class A CDL But Need Training

Need Schooling to Obtain Class A CDL

Currently Enrolled in Truck School

Previously Worked for Swift

I consent to SwiftTransportation and/or its affiliates
contacting me via email, phone or text (including from an
auto-dialer) to inform me of employment opportunities.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District Of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Experienced Class A Driver

Have Class A CDL But Need Training

Need Schooling to Obtain Class A CDL

Currently Enrolled in Truck School

Previously Worked for Swift

I consent to SwiftTransportation and/or its affiliates
contacting me via email, phone or text (including from an
auto-dialer) to inform me of employment opportunities.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average truck driver salary/pay as $47,680 per year. 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.

So, when researching “how much does a truck driver make”, keep that in mind. And don’t forget to take a look at the additional benefits available, such as: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), etc. When combined with your CDL salary/pay, these additional benefits available could make one company stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Now, we can’t speak to the truck driver salary/pay at all companies, but we can tell you a little bit about our own, so let’s take a look at the pay and opportunities available at Swift.

Notice: To prevent the contamination and spread of COVID-19, we’ve included a number of onboarding driver precautions, visit our COVID-19 resource page for more information.

How Much Can a Truck Driver Make at Swift?

The short answer is: It varies based on the type of freight you haul, your length of haul, and your experience level. And, because we use a sliding pay scale based on experience and length of haul, the more experience you have, and the more dispatched miles you run, the higher your pay may be.

That said, we understand that you probably want to know what those high-paying trucking jobs are at Swift. Just understand that there are many variables that can impact how much you make. Below are some approximate average ranges for different segments of our business. Remember, some individuals will make less than this, especially newer drivers, and some individuals will make more than this, some a lot more than these ranges. Below are some annual average pay statistics¹:

Dry Van OTR

Top 25% Annual Average: $92,800 ($1,800 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $59,400-$68,300 ($1,200-$1,300 weekly)

Refrigerated OTR

Top 25% Annual Average: $96,600 ($1,900 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $60,800-$68,600 ($1,200-$1,300 weekly)

Dry Van Dedicated

Top 25% Annual Average: $91,700 ($1,800 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $61,300-$68,400 ($1,200-$1,300 weekly)

Refrigerated Dedicated

Top 25% Annual Average: $99,000 ($1,900 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $61,400-$68,000 ($1,200-$1,300 weekly)

Flatbed OTR

Top 25% Annual Average: $98,000 ($1,900 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $60,500-$68,500 ($1,200-$1,300 weekly)

Flatbed Dedicated

Top 25% Annual Average: $85,000 ($1,600 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $63,200-$71,500 ($1,200-$1,400 weekly)

Intermodal

Top 25% Annual Average: $93,000 ($1,800 weekly)
Annual Average Pay: $59,700-$66,500 ($1,100-$1,300 weekly)

Swift Express

Top 25% Annual Average: $74,000 ($1,400 weekly)
Annual Average Pay per Driver: $49,800-$55,000 ($1,000-$1,100 weekly)

Teams

Top 25% Annual Average: $96,000 ($1,800 weekly)
Annual Average Pay per Driver: $61,200-$71,400 ($1,200-$1,400 weekly)

BENEFITS AT SWIFT

At Swift, we also offer a comprehensive benefits package that you may choose to participate in that includes medical and prescription drug plans, dental and vision plans, 401(k), an employee assistance program, an employee stock purchase program, and a college tuition program. In addition, we offer a wide range of supplemental benefits that you can choose to participate in on an as-needed basis. This way, you can take care of yourself and your family in all the ways that matter most.

For a list of the benefits available, visit our Benefits page, or learn more about the opportunities available at Swift on our Careers page. Of course, if you’re new to trucking, you can get the training you need to earn your CDL at Swift Academy or one of our trusted partners.

*For purposes of this webs page the term “Salary” is used as a basis of pay comparison to other trucking jobs. Swift’s drivers are not paid a fixed amount each week. Rather, Swift drivers are generally compensated by the trip as is customary in the industry. The trip pay drivers receive is based on a rate per mile and compensates the driver for all work that is performed as part of his or her routine duties as a commercial truck driver. Such work may include weighing loads, filling out paperwork, time spent conducting pre and post-trip vehicle inspections, securing and caring for cargo, equipment maintenance, fueling the equipment, activities required by the federal DOT or other regulatory agencies, the first two hours waiting to load or unload or any other routine duties related to transporting cargo from origin to destination.

¹Pay data was calculated using 2021 average weekly driver pay (annualized) from Swift full-time company drivers who received paychecks within the specified line of business. No amount of weekly or annual pay is guaranteed.

Hear From Our Drivers

“Before Swift, I was in the VA homeless program. This career has been life-changing and I’m very grateful. I’ve never had a job that paid like this before.I recently bought a new house and a new truck. I always have enough money to pay my bills and extra money to save. I have been very successful here at Swift.”

Gary C.

8 Years Experience

how much the average American earns per month

The United States is one of the largest countries in the world in terms of area, with many roads and huge distances. Therefore, road and bus transport occupy a special place there. The salary of a truck driver in the United States is the envy of Russia and other CIS countries. At the same time, overseas, there is another, higher cost of living. So how much do drivers in America earn? This article is a detailed overview of income as well as other details about driving jobs.

How to become a truck or bus driver

The driver’s job requirements depend on the type of vehicle he will be driving: a small van, a truck for local or long distance transportation (truckers), a passenger bus, etc. However, despite certain differences in requirements, the basic criteria are nevertheless the same. Let’s look at them using the example of a truck driver for local transportation within a state or a single city.

So, the requirements for hiring a local truck driver depend on the size and weight of the vehicle. Higher education is not required. For larger vehicles, the ability to drive a truck and have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is usually the primary criteria. CDLs are divided into three categories: class A, class B and class C.

Class A license covers large trucks, incl. tractors.
Class B license allows you to drive medium trucks, vans and large passenger buses.
Class C licenses are for relatively small vehicles, including passenger buses and some delivery trucks.

Most truck driver jobs require a professional CDL driver’s license. At least minimal truck driving experience would be a plus.

Since different states have different requirements for obtaining a driver’s license, the first step in finding a job as a truck driver is to check local license requirements. Knowing in advance which license you will need will help you in your job search. In addition, having CDL approval will allow you to apply for more jobs.

CDL certifications include permission to operate fuel trucks and other trucks carrying hazardous materials.

Responsibilities and qualifications

As for work responsibilities, everything is clear with this. The driver will need to:

Carry goods on a predetermined route or schedule.
Work in a specific region, either in one region/state, or in transportation throughout the country.
Document all deliveries and shipments.
Follow all relevant safety regulations.

Additional requirements include:

Consent to undergo a medical and drug test.
Ability to work in shifts over 10 hours.

Local Haul Truck Driver Salary

As of May 2021, the average driver salary in the US is $51,355 per year, according to job site Ziprecruiter.com. This is approximately 24.69dollars an hour, $988 a week, or $4,280 a month.

Income fluctuates between 23,500 and 73,000 dollars. At the same time, the bulk of salaries for local truck drivers currently range from $39,500 to $59,000. The highest paid employees (10% of the richest) earn an average of $68,000 per year.

The average salary range for a driver varies greatly (by $19,500). This suggests that there are many opportunities for promotion and salary increases, which depend on the level of qualification, work experience and place of residence.

Truck driver income

As of May 2021, the monthly salary of a truck driver in America is $6,864. This equates to approximately $39.60 an hour, $1,584 a week, or $82,366 a year.

Please note that income tax has yet to be deducted from all the amounts shown.

Truckers in the US receive a range of salaries ranging from $22,500 (beginners) to $226,000 (most experienced, hard-hitting skilled workers). The bulk of trucker salaries in America currently range from $54,500 to $80,000. The highest earnings (10% of the “richest”) are $213,500 per year. The average salary range for a truck driver varies greatly. This highlights the potential for revenue growth if better deals are found.

Heavy Truck, Dump Truck and Bus Driver Earnings

The top earning drivers (the top 10% of workers) receive $57,500.

But bus drivers in the US earn less, on average, about $30,400 a year. They are paid differently and salaries range from $15,500 (lowest) to $46,800 (highest). Bus driver salaries vary greatly depending on experience, skills or location.

Comparison of bus driver earnings by years of experience

How does experience and age affect your salary? The level of experience is the most important factor in determining the final income. Naturally, the more years of experience, the higher your salary will be.

What is the average local truck driver salary by state

The table below shows the top 10 truck driver earning states:

	per year	Per month	per week	Ah
Wyoming	$55,521	$4,627	$1,068	$26.69
Massachusetts	$52,837	$4,403	$1,016	$25.40
Montana	$52,318	$4,360	$1,006	$25. 15
Arizona	$51,779	$4,315	$996	$24.89
Hawaii	$51,736	$4,311	$995	$24.87
Indiana	$51,447	$4,287	$989	$24.73
New Jersey	$51,339	$4,278	$987	$24.68
Connecticut	$50,879	$4,240	$978	$24.46
Washington	$50,820	$4,235	$977	$24.43
New York	$50,733	$4,228	$976	$24.39

How much do truckers earn in America – Logdoc – transportation of goods is our profession / News / Logdoc

03/13/2021

Working as a truck driver in the US is attractive to many labor migrants, primarily due to high salaries. Indeed, American truckers earn more on average than their counterparts elsewhere in the world. Another reason why road lovers are ready to get behind the wheel of a truck is the opportunity to travel all over America, while also earning money. This is probably why the query “what is the salary of a truck driver in the USA” keeps on the first lines of Yandex and Google ratings. Is it easy to get a job as a truck driver in the USA and what kind of earnings can you count on, said the correspondent of the ATI transport portal.

How Much Truckers Get Paid

Ground transportation accounts for more than 70% of total trucking in the US, so the job of a truck driver is highly sought after and highly respected. Anything is transported on trucks: from consumer goods to oversized cargo, including entire cottages!

According to Bureau of Labor statistics, American truckers earn between $30,000 and $90,000 a year on average. Considering that $100,000 is considered a good annual income for a family of three, an experienced driver can let his wife not work.

The amount of salary depends on many criteria, including work experience, accident-free record, age, nature of the goods transported, company level, track features, labor market conditions, etc. For example, truckers working on high-speed highways are paid more. Also, the salary is higher for those who work on refrigerators, carry dangerous goods, chemicals, and oversized cargo. If there is a shortage of drivers in the labor market, companies can increase rates. The basis for calculating earnings is the distance traveled per day in miles. Downtime is also paid, up to $100 per day.

Private carriers can earn more, up to $200,000, but they have to pay the full cost of maintaining and repairing the car, fuel and other expenses themselves.

Driver Qualifications

Good health, stamina, and physical fitness are important requirements for employment in American transportation companies. Spending long hours behind the wheel is not so easy, so passing a medical examination is the first thing that employers require from truckers.

Age restrictions, although not welcomed by law, but behind the scenes exist: drivers from 25 to 30 years old are more likely to drive a truck. Those who are older may not pass because of their health, and young drivers, apparently, are afraid to take them because of lack of experience. At the same time, the law allows you to drive trucks from the age of 21.

Only those who already have a license to drive a passenger car can get a truck driver’s license in the US. A foreigner will first have to pass an exam in order to obtain an American Driver’s License. This process takes from 2 weeks to 9months and costs about $2000. Knowledge of local traffic rules should be accompanied by a good command of English, otherwise you will not be able to pass the exam.

If the driver frequently violated the rules or was guilty of an accident, information about this is stored in the police database for 3 years. During this period, carrier companies will most likely refuse to work for the driver, and the insurance company will not provide insurance or set a high rate.

Where to go to work

There are about 15 million registered heavy vehicles in the US. Their main share falls on small companies, whose fleet consists of 4 to 6 trucks. In general, about half a million cargo carriers operate in the country, the total annual income of which reaches 256 billion dollars.

American truckers are most often assigned to deliver oversized cargo. Rivers traditionally remain the main trunk routes for the transportation of raw materials, petroleum products, and building materials in the United States. But if the cargo needs to be delivered quickly, they take a car, since the allowed speed of rafting on rivers does not exceed 20 km/h. By the way, in some states, already loaded cars can travel part of the way on a riverboat.

Despite a good salary, comfortable truck cabs, safe working conditions (crime is practically eradicated on the roads), not all drivers can withstand the stress associated with long hauls. In addition, the opportunities for growth in this profession are limited. The only way to rise to a new level of business is to use the money accumulated over several years of hard work to buy a couple of trucks and rent them out.

Getting a truck license is not easy

All the rules and conditions for obtaining a driver’s license are written in a special document – Commercial Driver License (CDL). Also, future truck drivers are required to study the Commercial Driver’s Manual – a commercial driver’s manual, which, in addition to the CDL rules, contains other important information.

In order to obtain a driving permit, the driver must pass a computer test for knowledge of the “Manual” and CDL. The test can be retaken, the timing of the re-examination is usually determined by the testing center. Some states allow you to retake the exam up to 3 times.

Having received the CDL Permit, the driver goes to the medical examination. Here, doctors check his vision, hearing, the state of the cardiovascular system, etc. and issue a medical certificate.

The next step is to pass the driving practice test and then study at the truck driver school. You can also study privately with a qualified driver, it will cost less than studying at school.

Employers often require certification to pass the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation when applying for a job. This exam consists of an oral part, aimed at testing vision and hearing, and a written part, which will test knowledge of federal traffic rules.

Foreign drivers say that it is not so difficult to learn and pass the American traffic rules exam as to pass a medical examination and collect all the required documents. And despite such strict requirements, the trucker profession in America remains one of the most risky and is even included in the official register of the country’s most dangerous professions. Every year, out of every 100,000 drivers, 30 people die on the roads as a result of traffic accidents, safety violations or banal fatigue.

How much does a truck driver earn in the USA?

Truck drivers are one of the most lucrative and rewarding jobs in America, and one of the most sought after. There are several prerequisites for this: more and more businessmen in the country are opening firms and offering services specifically for truck transportation, since trucking in the USA is a relatively inexpensive type of transportation at a cost, unlike railroad, air communications, shipping and so on.

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How much does a truck driver earn in the USA?

Content:

$30 – $50 per hour
Experience matters
Salary bonuses

America has excellent roads that allow you to connect any metropolis with a small town. In addition, during the last year of the pandemic, the demand for trucking in the United States has doubled. This led to the fact that truckers, who were already lacking in the country, began to be appreciated even more. Today, firms offer them not only favorable salaries, but also very good working conditions.

So how much does a truck driver earn on average in the US? Let’s talk more about this.

From 30 – 50 dollars per hour

The difference between the earnings of truck drivers can be significant, since several factors affect the amount of the salary of a truck driver at once: the presence of a commercial license, the profit of the company, the type of cargo that the trucker transports, as well as the personal qualities of the trucker himself hired worker.

According to the portal PayScale.com, which maintains average statistics of salaries of employees throughout the United States, the minimum wage for a trucker in the country ranges from 30 to 50 dollars per hour. This indicator increases if the driver’s experience increases. Not the last role is played by the type of load of the truck driver.

For example, truckers who transport hazardous materials (HAZMAT) can earn 35 percent more on average than regular truckers. Long distance hauliers (OTR drivers) get even more.

Such a driver can earn from 60 to 120 thousand dollars a year, this is without bonuses from the company.

And his earnings directly depend on the following factors:

The company where he works.

Of course, the agreement with the employer on working conditions and wages is an individual thing, but some nuances should still be taken into account.

If a truck driver gets a job in a small trucking company, then he must understand that there is not much free money in such a company, and it is not a fact that employees will be able to pay well, and also periodically increase salaries.

Some managers of small firms ask drivers to work for the first time as independent contractors, which completely shifts the entire tax burden on the shoulders of the truck driver himself.

On the other hand, growing firms with wise management tend to invest every free penny in the development of a good specialist, in addition, you will have constant contact with the authorities and the opportunity to establish reliable partnerships with them for the long term.

A large company will always find free funds for drivers, but where it invests them depends on the values of the company itself.

Some set wages for hired workers, and increase pay depending on the driver’s length of service and prospects. In addition, they regularly offer bonuses, refresher courses, the opportunity to move to another state at the expense of the company, and so on.

There are those who do not appreciate the work of a worker, therefore, when choosing a company, you need to focus not so much on its scale, but on its reputation.

Experience matters

Driver experience.

American law legally allows a truck driver to drive at the age of 21. A novice driver will most likely receive half as much as an experienced truck driver: from 15 to 25 dollars per hour.

In essence, he pays the firm for his own training. Many companies take on the training of novice truck drivers, offering him to take courses and get a driving license, under certain conditions. Therefore, in addition to a license, such a driver also gains experience and seniority, which means it becomes more in demand in the general “market”.

An experienced truck driver earns about twice as much as a novice.

CDL rights.

Every truck driver, whether employed or not, needs a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

There are, of course, companies that are willing to hire drivers without such a license, but this is always a big risk. For example, if a serious accident happens, the Department of Motor Vehicles will definitely pay attention to the fact whether the driver had a CDL – a license or not? Was he doing his job legally or not? If not, the driver faces a serious fine, and this fine can easily be deducted from his salary.

In addition, the US truck business system is designed so that the CDL gives the driver an advantage, he gets more than a trucker who does not have these rights.

Types of cargo.

Truck drivers in the US fall into 6 main categories. Depending on the category of the driver, the type of cargo that he carries is also determined.

Tanker drivers – a category of drivers who transport gasoline or other flammable substances. For this they have specially equipped tanks.
Reefer drivers – transportation of frozen and chilled products such as fish, ice cream, meat and so on. It is carried out in special trucks with refrigerators.

Less than Truck Load are drivers who mainly work with stores. They transport light cargo across America.
Flat Bed drivers – carriers of bulky goods such as building materials, metal pipes, logs and so on.

Dry Van drivers – transport goods for large wholesale bases with a maximum shelf life.
Auto Haulers – international transport. Cars, motorcycles or construction equipment.

Tanker drivers tend to get the highest pay if they take a load marked “Dangerous”, as well as Dry Van drivers.

The state in which the driver works.

According to data provided by the US Bureau of Statistics, there are states that pay their truckers more than others.
The highest paid states for truck drivers in 2020 were: Alaska, New York, Wyoming, North Dakota, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Washington.

Salary bonuses

Do not forget about salary bonuses, which are provided in almost every company, due to the fact that a truck driver is a very popular profession today. Firms strive to retain their employees through various bonuses, most often these are:

– bonuses for registration and employment for new drivers;
– bonuses for monthly mileage. The driver’s truck is rewarded if he has passed a certain mileage in a month;
– bonuses for safety. If the driver travels a certain number of miles in a certain amount of time without incident;
– bonuses for saving fuel on semi-trailers;
– bonuses for net inspections by the Department of Transportation, which conducts an inspection of truck drivers every year;
– bonuses for recommending other drivers to get a job in this particular company.

Separately, it is worth mentioning that there is a category of drivers that work for themselves. This is an opportunity to get the maximum profit from the trucking business. An experienced self-employed driver can earn over $221,000 a year.

But there are also risks in such work: the earnings of the driver – the owner of the truck completely depend on how many orders he finds, and how he can save the costs of their implementation to the maximum. And there will be many costs.

The costs of a “private owner” include not only the purchase of a truck, but also the maintenance of the car, the cost of fuel, insurance, taxes, and so on. In addition, it is he who will spend time looking for new clients and monitor payment for services from brokers.

To take on this type of work or not, each truck driver decides for himself. In “private service” there is no ceiling in earnings, but there will be much more problems.

Do you want to know more interesting news from the world of logistics? Open the Blog section on our website and be aware of all the latest important events in this area.

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Truck drivers: what you need to know about the profession

Truck driver ( am. truck driver ) is one of the most demanded and highly paid professions in America. To enter the profession, a person must be over 21 years old, have legal status in the country and have a valid CDL class A license. Experience is not important. Therefore, immigrants choose to work as a truck driver immediately after moving to America.

To work as a driver in the States, the first thing a new immigrant needs to do is get a SDL license. To obtain a driver’s license, future truck drivers must take the following steps:

Prepare a paperwork package and submit it to the state DMW.
Pass a theory exam consisting of three tests (General knowledge, Combination vehicle, Air brake).
Prepare for the practical exam: on your own or at a driving school.
Successfully pass the three parts of the theory exam:
- Checking the car before the flight.
- Transport management base.
- Driving on the road.
Visit a DMV office to obtain commercial rights.

In our blog, we described in detail what the process of preparing and passing the CDL exams for a truck driver in New York looks like.

Working as a truck driver in the USA: what is the salary of a CDL driver

The salary of a truck driver depends on several factors:

➨ Driving experience: A novice with no experience earns an average of 50-60 cents per mile. When transporting dangerous goods – 70-80 cents per mile.

➨ Trucker Criteria: Truck driver with own vehicle or company truck. For example, with constant employment on their own track, a CDL driver can earn an average of $180,000 per year or more.

➨ Cargo danger level: all truckers who transport chemical or explosive cargo are paid higher.

The average driver salary in the US is $59,925 per year. However, it may vary depending on the above factors and the state in which the person works.

To work as a truck driver, the candidate must be over 21 years of age, have legal status in the United States (holding a work visa or Green Card) and CDL (Commercial Driver License), which are issued only after obtaining local DL for a car.

Applicant must obtain a CDL class A driver’s license to drive a commercial vehicle. To do this, you should collect the necessary package of documents, pass the theoretical and practical exams and get a truck driver’s license. We have described in detail about obtaining a CDL in this guide.

Immigrant message boards, Facebook groups and telegram channels have many ads from logistics companies in need of truck drivers.

Also, if you have studied at a CDL practical exam preparation school, you can get a job through them. Many educational institutions have an agreement with companies on the further employment of graduates.

The average annual salary of a truck driver is $59,925 per year. But that number could go up to $200,000. Factors influencing the increase in salary: staff, experience, form of cooperation and loads carried by the driver.

$22’000 and even more: a trucker from Rostov about working in the USA – Trucking – ATI, Center: Cargo Transportation System

Maxim from Rostov could not even imagine that he would move to America and become a trucker. Now he has his own truck and a good salary even by local standards

Andrey Tikhonov, host of the Nash Man YouTube channel, talked to Maxim and found out how heavy truck drivers work and how much they earn in the USA.

Hello, Maxim! Tell me, when and how did you get to America?

– Hello! I arrived in 2005, I was then 21 years old. My sister, who lived here, helped me move. I myself am from Rostov, hello fellow countrymen!

What was your first job?

– For the first three months I worked as a helper in a car service: I changed pads, wheels. Then he received a CDL – a commercial license for driving a truck, an analogue of the Russian category E – and began to drive heavy trucks.

Did you rent your driving license here?

– Yes, and at the end of 2008 I started working for the company, and in 2012 I bought my truck.

How hard was it to get a license?

– When I passed, it was not difficult. Now, I don’t know. Language, of course, is needed, but perfect knowledge is not necessary. For those who grasp everything on the fly, it will be easier.

How much can a driver earn without his truck? So he got the rights, came to the employer – what salary can he expect?

– You won’t earn much without experience. Probably will earn about a thousand dollars a week. He will have to work hard, at least 6 days a week, and you can immediately forget about weekends at home.

Do you also drive?

– Yes, I travel for 3-4 weeks without coming home.

How much did your first truck cost?

– My first Volvo cost me $138,000.

How much do you earn?

– If I drive for a month without stopping home, I will get 18-20 thousand dollars net.

What if there is a breakdown? Is the truck yours? Is he under warranty?

– Yes, the car breaks down, anything can happen. Of course, you have to pay out of your own pocket. But if nothing broke, then 18 minimum should work. Maximum – 22 thousand dollars, the very edge – 25.

How much do you pay for a truck?

– 2650 per month.

Have you found your American Dream? Everyone comes here for some kind of dream, did you have it?

– 15 years ago I was chasing flies in Rostov and didn’t think that someday I would be in America and buy myself such a car. I didn’t dream about it in Russia, so I can’t say that I achieved my dream.

Would you like to change your profession?

– No, I don’t want to give up driving. But I would like to stop traveling on long-haul flights, to be at home more often.

Would you like to go back to Russia?

– No, I wouldn’t. I already have everything here: home, family.

How would you describe life in America? Can you describe it in two words?

– Equality and law. Laws work here, they are rarely violated. I forgot to close the truck several times, went to sleep at the hotel, returned in the morning to the open car – all things were in place. This is great.

I see you have dumbbells here. Do you exercise on flights?

– Yes, I like to play sports when I have free time. On truck stops, in terminals. I run more often – I have sneakers, sportswear. Such work is indispensable without sports. And with dumbbells I do it infrequently, periodically.

Tell us about the truck. What is this model?

– Volvo 780 large cab. There are many places in it. The seat is pneumatic, the gearbox is automatic.

Is it difficult to drive such a truck?

– Quite simply. But, of course, experience is essential. You need to love this job, you need to feel your car. Much comes with experience. For example, when I go to overtake, I always look in the mirror of the truck I am overtaking. If his driver does not look in the mirror, then he does not look at the road either. Then it’s better not to risk it.

Did you get a driving license?

– Yes. You can hand over the mechanics, or you can use the machine, but if you hand over the machine, you can’t control the mechanics – a corresponding note is made on the driver’s license. It also shows two trailers: this means that I can drive a road train.

Does it make sense to come to America now? What can you personally say to those who want to move?

– I am happy when I meet fellow countrymen. But you have to come with a purpose. If there is a goal to achieve something, for example, to earn money, to rise to your feet, you can go. But it’s impossible to take off just like that, hoping that money grows on trees here, because it’s not true.

Reference: The median annual salary of truck drivers in the US according to ATA (American Trucking Association) in 2018 was $53,000-57,000. Due to staff shortages, many fleet operators have raised rates; for example, truck drivers at America’s largest retailer, Walmart, earn an average of $87,500, while experienced drivers with long history of accident-free driving earn over $100,000. The salaries of “private traders” who have their own car and independently find cargo are even higher – they fluctuate between $170,000-$190’000, however, such drivers have to pay for fuel, spare parts, roadside services, etc. on their own.

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Trucker jobs in the USA in 2022: drivers salary

Author Aleksey Pitelin Reading 10 min Views 65.6k. Posted by 07/01/2022

Contents

Trucker categories in the USA
How to get a license in the USA
U.S. License Supplement
Profession Disadvantages
How to get a job?
Through the school of truckers
Call from the employer
Small business
Work in the Russian -speaking company
Truckers salary
Labor conditions
Personal qualities of the loader
where training in the USA
?

Today, the states are experiencing another boom in ground transportation. Fuel is rapidly becoming more expensive, so even those companies that preferred air transportation are gradually switching to trucks. The average age of American truckers is between 45 and 65 years old, and these numbers are constantly growing.

Young people want to stay close to family and friends. In addition, he does not want to spend most of his life on the road, even for a good salary.

Categories of truckers in the USA

In America, all truck drivers are traditionally divided into several categories:

Auto Haulers. Cars, motorcycles, agricultural machines and other large equipment are transported.
Dry Van Driver. The main cargo is products with a long shelf life, transported to large wholesale depots in closed trucks.
Flat Bed Drivers. Transportation of bulky goods of the same type, such as logs or pipes.
Less than Truck Load. Light goods, most often transported within the state.
Reefer. Trucks of this type are equipped with refrigeration equipment and transport frozen and chilled products.
Tanker drivers. Carry gasoline and other liquids in special tanks.

Truck drivers can also be divided according to the territorial basis. The first travel only within a certain state. Their regime is a little softer, and they have the opportunity to see their loved ones. They do get paid a little less though. The second roam all over America and neighboring countries.

How to get a US license

Sample US Category A (truck with trailer) driver’s license

You can apply for a US license at the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is possible to register for the exam directly from the website of the state department in which you live. Traffic rules are much simpler than Russian ones. In addition, there are an order of magnitude fewer signs. Driving experience does not matter, you will have to pass on a general basis.

Several states have restrictions on obtaining the right to drive a truck. In addition, until a year has passed from the date of obtaining a regular driver’s license. Requires CDL class rights. Obtaining a category consists of two stages:

Written test. It can be passed in the department of any state, and the rules can be downloaded from their website. If successful, they will issue a form on the delivery of the theoretical part.
Training at a special school for truckers. An educational institution is easy to find on the Internet and there you can pre-register for training, the cost of which is about $ 1,500. Upon completion of the course, a certificate will be issued.

With both papers, you need to go to the department of motor vehicles in your place of residence in order to obtain a CDL.

U.S. License Supplement

In order to significantly expand your scope of possible orders, you need to obtain a dangerous goods license in addition to your basic license. The exam is a bit more difficult than the truck driver license test. But for those who did not cope the first time, a retake is provided.

Many transport companies require this license supplement when applying for a job. Carrying dangerous goods does not mean that you have to carry weapons or radioactive elements. Dangerous goods include aerosols, flammable liquids, fireworks, and paint.

Disadvantages of the profession

The high salary of a truck driver in the USA partially compensates for the difficult working conditions:

First of all, it is separation from the family. A trucker can be on a flight for up to 4 weeks in a row without showing up at home. Not every woman is able to constantly wait for her husband. Also, after a short meeting, to be alone again. There is a very high divorce rate among truck drivers. They can rightfully be called unhappy in their personal lives.
This job causes a lot of health problems:
- Despite the 10 o’clock travel time, often there are no suitable stops along the way, or the cargo needs urgent delivery. In such cases, you have to work without sleep and rest.
- From the constant sitting behind the wheel, there are problems with the spine and the musculoskeletal system.
- Occupational disease of all truckers – gastritis and other diseases of the stomach. Eating junk food and questionable roadside food has never made anyone healthier.
Truck drivers often experience constant psychological stress. You have to be responsible for a huge amount of expensive cargo. At the stage of loading, the loader is responsible for the goods. But as soon as the gate is closed, she falls on your shoulders. In case of damage or loss of cargo, compensation for material damage is borne by the person responsible for the accident.

How to get a job?

Through the trucker school

In the US, the profession of a truck driver is so in demand that transport companies directly send a request to trucker schools. Moreover, they are even willing to pay up to 90% of the cost of training. If you choose this option, be prepared for a small outlay.

The first month you will have to travel as an intern, this period is paid, but not high. The first year the salary will be lower, the employer will gradually raise the rate in accordance with the miles travelled.

Call from the employer

This journey begins at home. First of all, you need to find vacancies in the company that will send a call for a work visa. This option will allow you to get a job legally and not worry during meetings with the immigration police.

It will also allow international flights to Canada or Mexico. But even in this case, you will have to hand over to obtain an American license.

Small business

People from Russia will not be able to open a private enterprise in the USA. But with the citizenship of the former republics of the USSR, you can open an individual enterprise. You can buy a truck and do private trucking. When working on your tractors, again, there are two options: work for a company or become a completely independent entrepreneur.

Employment in a Russian speaking company

In the United States, among transport companies, there are a large number of Russian owners. If you get a job with such an employer, there will be no language barrier with the authorities. You will be helped to draw up documents and obtain rights in America.

Driving experience in your home country and experience as a truck driver in the USA does not matter. You will have to hand over the rights on a general basis in any case.

Truck driver salary in the USA

Truck driver salary in the USA depends on many factors. First of all, the size of the company. Large transport companies and corporations pay an order of magnitude more than a private trader with several cars.

The salary of a truck driver varies widely – from 30 to 90 thousand dollars a year. The driver receives money not for the time spent on the road, but for the miles that he drove. For example, at Microsoft, a high-end professional can earn up to $3 per mile.

Beginners usually get about 40 cents per mile. On your truck you can get from 3 to 10 thousand dollars a month. Depending on the intensity of travel and the value of the cargo.

Observance of the American traffic regulations is important. Multiple violations can result in dismissal. And for an accident due to the fault of the driver, not only dismissal threatens, but also liability for the truck and the transported cargo. Moreover, with a bad history, other companies will not want to hire you either.

Working conditions

Truck equipment in America causes a lot of envy. The cabin has not only a bed, but also a shower, toilet, refrigerator and air conditioning. Given these conveniences, solo truck drivers prefer to save on apartment maintenance and live right in the cab.

The main routes are equipped with a large number of service stations. Therefore, to become a trucker, it is not necessary to be a good mechanic. It is the responsibility of the driver only to check the wheels before the trip. Large transport companies organize separate stations with parking and a pit stop for their employees.

In the US, there are separate lanes at gas stations for driving tractors. The fuel in them pumps faster, which allows you to fill a large gas tank in a short time.

Sleep and food are also not in question. The roads are full of cafes and motels, but many still prefer to sleep in cabs. Companies often supply drivers with navigators, satellite phones and beacons, even a beginner. Therefore, those who do not know the roads will be able to find the right path or, in case of danger, ask for help.

Personal qualities of drivers

Judging by Hollywood films, a truck driver in the USA is a bearded man who is over 30 years old. In fact, this profession is now much younger. You can get a driver’s license in some states at the age of 18. But transport companies prefer not to hire employees under the age of 25.

The female truck driver is also slowly becoming the norm. Thanks to the power steering, even a fragile person can easily handle the steering.

The habit of seclusion has a positive effect on truckers. Such a person will not experience constant oppression from silence and the monotonous appearance of the roadway.

A strong physical condition is more needed for those who carry light loads within the state. In this case, the driver often performs the role of forwarder and loader at the same time.

An important quality that a truck driver should have is stress resistance. First, he is responsible for the cargo, and the more expensive the cargo. It is all the more terrible that something will happen to him on the road. Secondly, monotony. Before your eyes there is nothing but the track, while driving you won’t particularly admire the beauties of the landscape outside the window. Thirdly, anything can happen on the road. In addition, it is important to maintain a cold mind and clarity of action.

US Forklift Driver

In addition to truckers, large companies are constantly looking for forklift drivers.

Responsibilities:

loading trucks using a forklift;
maintaining order in the warehouse and the ability to compactly lay out the current stock;
checking the accuracy of records;
compliance with the rules of storage of goods;
shipment of goods from the warehouse to the loading area;
accounting for the expiration date of the goods, expired must be sent to a landfill;
ability to read and write in English.

The duties include not only direct work on the loader, but also the functions of a warehouse worker. The salary in different firms fluctuates from 10 to 15 dollars at an o’clock. This amount does not depend much on the experience of the driver, for a long experience you can get only a small increase.

Where to get training?

There are many courses in the USA offering to teach you how to operate a forklift in a short amount of time. The training will last from 1 to 7 days, depending on the qualification you want to get. Courses cost about $500.

The program includes a theoretical and practical part:

workplace requirements;
forklift safety;
how to check the loader before work;
how to operate the loader.

You can often find vacancies for forklift drivers on the course website. But despite this, it will be difficult for a beginner to get a job, large corporations prefer experienced workers. If at home you have experience in this field, you still have to undergo training.

Whether experience counts or not depends entirely on the employer. When applying for a job, they may offer to take a practical test, if you can handle it, there is a high probability that you will be accepted.

Before you make the final decision to move to the US to work as a truck driver, think carefully. Assess whether your initial capital is enough for accommodation, meals, tuition fees. Can you live like this.

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