Professional truck drivers are a vital part of America’s economy. They not only haul our essential, everyday freight but truckers complete the supply chain circle. The shortage of drivers in the industry has been a problem for a while, and recent events have only made it harder for businesses to get their items delivered. As a result, many carriers are using this time to offer drivers record-breaking salaries and incentives to recruit new drivers into this career.
A Look Back on Truck Driver Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the reported median pay for a professional driver in 2005 was $35,000. At this time, there were 1.625 million employed truck drivers across the nation. The American Trucking Association also reported that 2005 saw the first documentation of a truck driver shortage. The shortage disappeared with the Great Recession in 2008 as the freight volume decreased and slowly started to reappear in 2011. Since then, the lack of drivers has been growing, with shortage numbers reaching over 60,000 in 2019. All the while, the median stipend only increased by $12,400.
Driver Salary and The Future
Multiple factors of the driver shortage have caused carriers to revisit their recruiting efforts. One recruiting effort that has shown positive results is increases in driver compensation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the highest 10 percent of professional drivers earned more than $69,480 in 2020. Along with this high payout, many carriers are offerings additional incentives, including sign-on bonuses and local routes to get drivers home daily. The government has also introduced legislation to lower the CDL carrier age to 18, hoping to increase the number of new drivers.
United Wants You to Take Home this Increased Salary
United Truck Driving School can help you begin this new career in as little as four weeks! Our Class A CDL Training Program utilizes a balance of classroom instruction and hands-on, behind-the-wheel training. Our graduates have completed their training with their California CDL and were offered job opportunities with our employment partners through our job placement assistance program. We also provide multiple tuition assistance programs to help ease the stress of beginning a new career. Lastly, we offer our training at our San Diego and Riverside campuses, meaning you can get your CDL locally!
Let us help you earn a salary payout of up to $69,480 as soon as possible! Fill out the form on this page or call us at 619-345-3676 to reserve your spot in our next class!
