If you've been driving for a while, you may have noticed carriers working harder to keep good drivers. The numbers back that up.
Pay is moving up
A trucking payroll company tracks average driver compensation across its client fleets. Its latest index shows average driver pay rose about 4.5% from September to October, and it's up roughly 17% from a year ago. That doesn't mean every driver got a raise. It does show the overall direction: carriers are paying more to attract and keep experienced drivers.
Drivers are staying put
That same report shows monthly driver turnover under 10% for the fourth month in a row, well below last year's levels. When drivers find a carrier that treats them right, more of them are choosing to stay.
Experienced drivers are in short supply
New federal jobs data shows trucking employment barely changed in October. Freight is picking up heading into the holidays, but the number of drivers isn't growing much. Experienced CDL drivers have more options right now than they've had in a while.
What to look for besides the paycheck
Pay matters, but it isn't the whole picture. Before your next move, ask about:
Home time: how often you'll really be home, not just what the ad says
Equipment: how well the trucks are maintained, and what safety technology they have
Dispatch: whether you'll talk to the same people and get straight answers
Respect: whether the company treats drivers like professionals
Driving with Davies Trucking
Davies Trucking is a family-run carrier based in Aurora, Colorado. We're hiring a CDL-A driver for OTR flatbed and power-only work. If you're looking for a small company where you're more than a truck number, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply online: https://intelliapp.driverapponline.com/c/4127421
Questions? Call 720.388.8921 or email info@daviestrucking.com.
— The Davies Trucking Team
Sources: Superior Trucking Payroll Service, October 2026 Trucking Labor Update (Nov. 3, 2026); FreightWaves, Nov. 6, 2026, reporting Bureau of Labor Statistics data.