The trucking & Logistics industry is one of the most profitable industries in the world. Most of the people associated with this industry are making a handsome living. For example, owner-operators, large fleet owners, and large-scale trucking businesses make thousands to millions of dollars a year. But Do You know how much money a professional truck driver makes? It’s undoubtedly one of the biggest questions on your mind if you are aspiring to a career as a Truck Driver. The short answer to this question is, “it varies from driver to driver and the trucking job.”
To make things about how much money does a professional truck driver make more straightforward for you, we’ll break down this article into three sections:
- How Truck Drivers are Paid
- How Much money do truck drivers make in different truck driving jobs?
- Factors affecting truck driver pay
So, Let’s get started
How are Truck Drivers Paid?
Unlike other people associated with the Trucking & Logistics industry, Truck Drivers are not paid on a monthly, annually, or hourly basis. Most CDL A Company Truck Drivers are pain on cents per mile basis. It means they earn for the miles they drive, not based on their duty timings.
- An Average CDL A Truck Driver working for a medium-scale trucking company or fleet earns between 29 to 43 cents per mile.
- Most truck drivers drive up to 3000 miles a week, meaning their average weekly income can be around $1200.
- The annual income is also calculated on a cents per mile basis. If You drive 50 weeks a year at the rate of 3000 miles a week, you can earn around $60000.
However, this calculation is not as simple as it looks as there is a wide range of factors that impact the overall income of Truck drivers.
How Much Money Do Truck Drivers Make in different trucking jobs?
Trucking jobs have different types based on the kind of truck you drive. For example, if you drive a reefer, your income will be different from those driving flatbeds. Here we look at the average income of drivers driving other trucks.
Average Income of Refrigerated Truck Drivers
Refrigerated Truck Drivers’ demand is relatively high than other truck drivers as they transport frozen and perishable items that need same-day delivery. The average income of a refrigerated truck driver is in the range of 44 to 49 cents per mile. A reefer truck driver typically drives between 2400 to 2800 miles a week, which makes the weekly income around $1300, and the annual income is about $68000.
Average Income of Flatbed Truck Driver
Flatbed Truck drivers earn around 45 cents per mile. Similar to the example above, the average weekly income of a flatbed truck driver is about $2600, and the annual income is around $58200.
Average Income of a Specialized Truck Driver
Specialized Truck Drivers do driving jobs in higher-risk industries, due to which they usually earn higher than other truck drivers that operate in standard lanes. The average income of specialized truck drivers ranges from $80000 to $250000 a year, depending on the industries they work for. Specialized truck drivers mostly drive hazmat, tank, oversized hauls, and ice-road trucking.
Besides these drivers, team OTR Drivers can earn around $100000 a year, owner-operators can earn $120000 a year, and solo OTR Drivers around $45000 a year.
Factors Affecting the Average Income of Truck Drivers
Drivers only make money when their truck is moving, which means they don’t earn if the truck:
- On waiting at the border crossing
- Stuck in traffic jams
- Loading, unloading or weighing ta load
- Performing a circle check
- Waiting for repairs and replacement of the truck.
Following are some major factors that can impact the average income of CDL A company truck drivers:
- Education – The higher your education level, the more you can earn.
- Experience – If you’re an experienced truck driver, it can add up to 40 to 50% to your overall income.
- CDL vs. Non-CDL – A CDL A Truck Driver earns more than a Non-CDL A Truck Driver. If you have a CDL License, you can expect to earn around $62000 a year as compared to non-CDL, which is around $43000.
- The Region You Work in – Average income of drivers also varies from region to region.
The Company You Work for – Large-Scale companies pay a higher per-mile rate than small-scale companies.
Datla logistics is a freight dispatching company providing dispatching services to owner operators and fleet carriers. We also provide freight shipping quotes to shippers who are looking to have their shipment delivered in a safe and timely manner.