News · Insurance & risk
Truck Driver Pay Raises: Fleets Compete for Good Drivers
Truck driver pay raises are back: at least eight fleets raised pay since May as qualified drivers get harder to find. What it means for you.
Questions about how this affects your trucks? Talk to a licensed agent who ran his own authority.
What happened
Truck driver pay raises are showing up again. On Oct. 16, Transport Topics reported that fleets are raising driver pay in certain markets, lanes and jobs. That includes over-the-road drivers and specialized roles.
Since May 11, 2026, these fleets announced pay raises:
- Anderson Trucking Service
- Crete Carrier
- Fleetmaster Express
- GP Transco
- K&B Transportation
- Nussbaum Transportation
- Roehl Transport
- USA Truck
The article did not give dollar amounts or percentages. So we will not guess them.
Why now? The people interviewed named several reasons. New rules are changing who can drive. Many drivers are getting older. Freight is getting better. Skilled trades are competing for the same workers. And fleets want to keep the good drivers they already have.
Leah Shaver of the National Transportation Institute put it simply. She said driver supply is getting tighter before freight demand has fully come back.
Pay is not the only thing drivers want. Priscilla Peters of Conversion Interactive Agency said pay and home time are drivers' top two priorities. Lars Offerdahl of Anderson Trucking Service said how drivers want to get paid is changing too.
What it means for owner-operators
For company drivers, this is good news. A safe, qualified driver has more say right now. It is a good time to compare offers and ask about pay and home time.
For owner-operators and small fleets, it cuts both ways. A tighter driver market often goes with better freight. But if you have drivers, other fleets may try to hire them away.
Safe drivers are worth more than ever. A clean driving record helps you get hired. It also matters when you add a driver to a truck insurance policy.
What to do next
- Drivers: ask every offer how pay is figured: by mile, by load, by hour or a percentage. Ask about home time too.
- Small fleets: talk with your best drivers before someone else does. Pay, home time and respect keep people.
- Hiring a driver? Their record matters. Read our guide on adding a driver to your truck insurance before they take the wheel.
- Keep your own record clean. It is your best asset in a tight market.
Growing your fleet or adding a driver? Call TCZ Insurance Agency at 956-526-6727.
Original report
Written by TCZ Insurance Agency in our own words. Read the original for the full story.