The Average Salary of a Long Distance Trucker
Long-distance truckers drive heavy trucks and tractor-trailers that weigh more than 26,001 gross vehicle pounds. Their routes take them across multiple states and sometimes from coast to coast. A commercial driver's license (CDL) is needed, which requires taking training courses at technical or vocational schools. Employers also provide additional training for new drivers with CDLs.
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Working Conditions
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The U.S. Department of Transportation strictly regulates the working conditions of long-distance truckers. They can only driver 11 hours or less per day, with no more than 14 hours of total work, which includes non-driving duties. They also need at least 10 hours off duty. Those who work more than 60 hours in one week must have at least 34 hours straight of off-duty relaxation. The median salary of long-distance truckers is $37,730 annually, with a range of $24,640 to $56,970. This breaks down to $18.14 per hour, with a range of $11.85 to $27.39, according to May 2009 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Employers
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The biggest employer of long-distance truckers is general freight trucking, with more than 35 percent of the available 1.5 million jobs. It pays $19.72 per hour, or $41,010 per year. The next biggest is specialized freight trucking, with 13 percent of the positions. It pays $18.69 per hour, or $38,870 per year. The employer with the highest pay is the postal service, where a mean of $25.49 per hour, or $53,020 per year, covers 5,370 jobs.
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Geography
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The state with the best pay for long-distance truckers is Alaska, where a high cost of living boosts compensation to $23.79 per hour, or $49,480 per year, and where positions number 2,820. New York is among the top three payers for states, with lower wages at $21.16 per hour, or $44,010 per year. But it contains far more employment with 53,880 jobs. In terms of cities, Fairbanks, Alaska, has the best pay at $25.82 per hour, or $53,710 per year, with employment at 460 positions.
Outlook
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The BLS sees jobs for long-distance truckers increasing at 13 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is about average for all positions across the economy. The demand will come from a growing population, which require more goods to be transported. Competition will be greatest for jobs with the highest earnings and more favorable work schedules. Slowdowns are inevitable when the economy is struggling, with independent owner-operators suffering the worst declines.
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References
- Photo Credit line of trucks 1 image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
