Driver pay on the rise in U.S., ATA survey shows

by Truck News

ARLINGTON, Va. — Driver pay is rising in the U.S. against a backdrop of a limited labor pool and rising demand for services, according to the latest Driver Compensation Study from the American Trucking Associations.

“This latest survey, which includes data from more than 100,000 drivers, shows that fleets are reacting to an increasingly tight market for drivers by boosting pay, improving benefit packages and offering other enticements to recruit and retain safe and experienced drivers,” said chief economist Bob Costello.

The median salary for a truckload driver working a national, irregular route was more than $53,000 – a $7,000 increase over the previous survey conducted in 2013. Private fleets saw driver pay rise to more than $86,000 from $73,000.

“Our survey told us that carriers are offering thousands of dollars in bonuses to attract new drivers,” Costello added. “And once drivers are in the door, fleets are offering benefits like paid leave, health insurance and 401(k)s to keep them.

“This data demonstrates that fleets are reacting to concerns about the driver shortage by raising pay and working to make the job more attractive,” he said. “I expect that trend to continue as demand for trucking services increases as our economy grows.”


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