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Truck drivers saw their pay increase in 2021 — some significantly — according to a new study from American Trucking Associations.
Truckload drivers earned an estimated median annual amount of $69,687 in 2021, including salaries and bonuses but not benefits, according to ATA’s 2022 Driver Compensation Study. That figure reflects an 18% increase in annual compensation compared with 2019, the year the last survey was released. The study, released Aug. 10, found that more than 90% of truckload fleets raised pay in 2021, with an average increase of 10.9%.
On the less-than-truckload side, every survey respondent reported a pay increase last year. Across the entire sector, the average increase was 2.6%. The median wage for over-the-road LTL drivers was about $73,000, while those who drive on local routes were paid an estimated median amount of $55,000.
The median salary for a driver at a private fleet was $85,000.
Independent contractors at truckload carriers performing non-drayage activities earned an estimated $235,000 median income in 2021, while those in the drayage sector saw median income of $164,000, the study found.
Costello
“The driver shortage, coupled with increased demand for goods in the post-pandemic economy, really drove driver salaries,” ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said. “These pay increases should put to lie the myths about the nature of this job – trucking is a path that can provide a well-paid career for Americans looking for one.”
The study also found referral bonuses for new drivers were a popular recruitment tool, with 96% of fleets offering them. The median value for these bonuses increased 15% to $1,150 compared with the last survey. The survey found 82% of LTL carriers offered referral bonuses, with a median amount of $875.
Sign-on bonuses were offered by 54% of all fleets.
The survey data included 185 fleets, over 135,000 employee drivers and nearly 20,000 independent contractors. The information provided by respondents was broken down by for-hire, truckload carriers, LTL carriers and private fleets.
ATA said the study was conducted to be a benchmarking tool that informs carriers on where they stand in terms of driver pay and benefits.
“The data supports what industry sources have been saying for some time – the driver shortage has been great for drivers who saw their salaries rise last year,” Bob Costello said.
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