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How Do I Pay my Truck Drivers Per Mile?

The most common way a truck driver gets paid is by getting paid per mile, also known as cents per mile. Getting paid per mile means that the truck driver gets paid a certain amount of cents for every mile they drive. To find out how much a driver should be paid is to take the number of miles driven and multiply that by the cents per mile. If you’re unsure what miles you should use to pay your drivers, we wrote an article on that here.

What to look out for when getting a job that pays per the mile:

One thing that you should look out for while getting a job that pays per mile is the rates. Some companies try to lure you in by offering a high mileage rate but not that many miles. For instance, they could be giving you $1.00 per mile but only getting 900 miles a week. You would then end up getting less money than a job that offers a lower mileage rate with a larger amount of miles a week. 

What is the average wage drivers get paid per mile?

Truck drivers that are paid per mile have varying wages. It depends on what region the driver works in, the company they are employed with, and how much experience they have. The average trucking company will pay between $0.28 and $0.40 center per mile. However, some companies pay more, such as $0.45 cents per mile. The reason they get paid a high amount is that these jobs would require more skill and are only for drivers with more experience. These drivers receive higher pay as a reward for hauling more delicate material.

Around 2,000 to 3,000 miles per week is the average amount of miles that is expected of average truck drivers to travel based on the 70-hour maximum hour restriction over eight days. New truck drivers are expected to just get starting wages. Starting wages are between $0.27 and $0.29 per mile. Once the driver gets more experience by getting in more time with the company, their pay will increase.

Advantages of being paid per mile:

The advantages of being paid per mile are that it is easier to track the expected pay. Being paid per mile is the most common way truck drivers get paid. Secondly, meeting the driver’s mileage goals by knowing the area and knowing the alternative routes to take to avoid traffic delays is another advantage. Thirdly, being paid per mile averages out to be an average hourly wage. Fourthly, many companies have little competition in the workplace, by offering incentives and bonuses for top mileage producers. It makes the drivers work harder and makes the business and the workers more money.

Disadvantages of being paid per mile:

Firstly, a disadvantage of being paid per mile is traffic. Traffic delays the number of miles that a driver can complete in the time that they have. Secondly, city streets are at a slower pace which also lowers the number of miles that a driver can complete. Finally, weather conditions, especially in colder states can keep you from gaining the miles you need since it requires slow driving.

Bottom Line:

In short, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of being paid per mile. Most of the time, drivers that are paid per mile tend to make more than hourly or salary drivers. Not only do they make more but they also have the opportunity to earn more money by getting paid per mile. This keeps the drivers working for a longer amount of time and gains the company more revenue.

This image features an open, empty road with a mountainous landscape in the background. The text on the right side asks, "What miles should I use to pay my truck drivers?" There are three white chevron arrows on the left side, pointing toward the road, emphasizing the forward motion or direction, which ties in with the theme of driving and mileage. The overall design is clean, with the road drawing attention to the question posed.

Now that you know how to pay per mile, and you’ve decided that paying per mile is right for your company, you can now read this article to see what kind of miles you should use to pay your truck drivers. 

 

Written by Tessa Braybrook

Tessa joined Superior Trucking Payroll Service in September 2022. She loves to write and make videos which made her a great asset to the team in her marketing position. 

Before working at Superior Trucking Payroll Service she worked in IT at GVSU which gave her the skills to problem-solve with customers over the phone. 

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