Driver Pay Up 3.3% in First Quarter

Driver pay increased at an annual rate of 3.3% in the first quarter of 1999, a bit higher than the 3.1% annual rate seen in the fourth quarter of 1998, according to the National Survey of Driver Wages.

The survey by SignPost Inc. of Hudson, Wis., reviewed pay packages for 441 truckload carriers in the first quarter and 432 in the fourth.

Although fewer fleets raised wages in the latest survey, the increases were substantial: 5.3% for dry van carriers, 4.7% for flatbed companies and 3.8% for refrigerated operations.

More than 60% of the flatbed and refrigerated carriers that raised pay were already offering 29 cents or more a mile to drivers with at least three years of experience, suggesting that carriers in those markets are seeking "pay leadership positions," according to SignPost.

For example, Charger Inc., a flatbed carrier, raised pay from 29 cents to 40 cents a mile while eliminating payment for stops, vacations, etc., SignPost said.

In the van segment, changes in first-quarter wages were evenly split among high- and low-paying carriers, indicating that most carriers are playing "catch-up."