Median hourly earnings of heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers were $16.85 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $13.33 and $21.04 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $10.80, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $25.39 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers in May 2006 were:

General freight trucking $18.38
Grocery and related product wholesalers 18.01
Specialized freight trucking 16.40
Cement and concrete product manufacturing 15.26
Other specialty trade contractors 14.94

Median hourly earnings of light or delivery services truck drivers were $12.17 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $9.31 and $16.16 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $7.47, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $21.23 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of light or delivery services truck drivers in May 2006 were:

Couriers $17.80
General freight trucking 15.33
Grocery and related product wholesalers 12.84
Building material and supplies dealers 11.54
Automotive parts, accessories, and tire stores 8.38

Median hourly earnings of driver/sales workers, including commissions, were $9.99 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $7.12 and $15.00 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $6.19, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $20.30 an hour. Median hourly earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of driver/sales workers in May 2006 were:

Drycleaning and laundry services $14.81
Direct selling establishments 13.72
Grocery and related product wholesalers 12.37
Full-service restaurants 7.11
Limited-service eating places 7.02

Local truck drivers tend to be paid by the hour, with extra pay for working overtime. Employers pay long-distance drivers primarily by the mile. The per-mile rate can vary greatly from employer to employer and may even depend on the type of cargo being hauled. Some long-distance drivers are paid a percent of each load’s revenue. Typically, earnings increase with mileage driven, seniority, and the size and type of truck driven. Most driver/sales workers receive commissions based on their sales in addition to their hourly wages.

Most self-employed truck drivers are primarily engaged in long-distance hauling. Many truck drivers are members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Some truck drivers employed by companies outside the trucking industry are members of unions representing the plant workers of the companies for which they work.