New fleet survey shows pay growth despite weak freight
The American Trucking Associations released results from its 2026 Driver Compensation Study on October 7. ATA says the study draws on data from more than 130 fleets representing over 140,000 employee drivers and 9,000 independent contractors. The findings describe 2025 compensation during a prolonged period of soft freight, lower rates and rising carrier costs, while a majority of surveyed carriers said they planned additional driver-pay increases in 2026.
Irregular-route and dedicated drivers posted different gains
For-hire truckload carriers reported median annual compensation of $73,639 for dry-van irregular-route employee drivers in 2025, an 8.3% increase from the 2023 median for the same category. Median compensation for dry-van dedicated-route employee drivers rose 4.2% from 2023, and ATA says dedicated-route drivers continued to earn more on average than irregular-route drivers. The carrier sample varied between the studies, so the percentage changes should be treated as survey comparisons rather than a pay raise received by every driver.
LTL and private-fleet medians remained strong
ATA reports median annual compensation of $85,000 for linehaul less-than-truckload drivers and $72,942 for local LTL drivers. Dry-van dedicated-route employee drivers at private carriers earned a median of more than $75,000, with tank-truck and refrigerated drivers earning more. Regional results placed the Northeast highest among the seven areas reviewed, at just over $78,000 in median annual compensation for dry-van drivers, excluding benefits.
Gross contractor compensation is not take-home pay
Leased-on independent contractors at truckload carriers received median gross annual compensation of more than $170,000, while the private-fleet figure exceeded $200,000. Those are gross compensation figures—not employee salaries or guaranteed net income. An owner-operator still has to account for fuel, insurance, equipment payments, maintenance, tires, permits, tolls, deadhead, taxes and unpaid time before comparing the result with an employee pay package.
Detention pay was common, but offer details still matter
Seventy-four percent of surveyed for-hire truckload carriers paid drivers for excessive waiting. ATA also reports that the median signing bonus fell by $500 to $2,000. A driver should verify when detention pay begins, its hourly amount, documentation rules and exclusions instead of assuming that a carrier’s policy covers every delay. Signing bonuses should be evaluated with repayment terms, vesting dates and total compensation rather than as a substitute for sustainable weekly earnings.
Driver and fleet takeaway
Drivers comparing jobs should request the pay formula in writing and model realistic weekly miles or hours, unpaid wait time, home time, benefits, bonuses and deductions. Owner-operators should compare revenue per total mile after all operating costs, not the study’s gross annual figure. Fleets can benchmark compensation by route and equipment type, audit detention-payment performance, explain variable-pay rules clearly and track whether pay increases improve qualified applications and retention. The national medians are useful reference points, but a specific offer still depends on location, experience, endorsements, schedule and freight mix.
American Trucking Associations — 2026 Driver Compensation Study
This original summary adds CDL-focused context. Visit the named publication for its full reporting and later updates.
Visit source publication →