💵 Pay & Money
How Trucker Pay Works: CPM, Percentage, Hourly, Detention and Layover
Cents per mile, percentage of the load, hourly, salary, detention, layover, stop pay and per diem — what each means and how to compare two offers fairly.
By the SemiLife teamUpdated 6 min read
Key takeaways
- Cents per mile only means something next to real miles. Ask what drivers on that fleet actually average per week.
- Find out how miles are counted — practical, shortest route or hub miles — and whether empty miles are paid.
- Detention, layover, breakdown and stop pay can add a lot, or nothing. Ask when each starts and how often it's actually paid.
- Per diem lowers your taxable pay but can lower your W-2 wages too, which can matter for loans and Social Security. Know what you're opting into.
- To compare offers, convert each to a realistic weekly and annual number, then add the value of benefits and home time.
In this guide 9 sections ▾
Two recruiters, two offers: one says 65 cents a mile, the other says $1,600 a week guaranteed. Which pays more? You can't tell until you know how each one counts miles, how many miles you'll really get, and what's paid on top. Here's how the main pay methods work.
Cents per mile (CPM)
The most common pay method for OTR and regional company drivers. You're paid a rate for every mile, for example 0.60 per mile.
What actually decides your check:
- How miles are counted. Common methods:
- Practical miles — closest to the route a truck actually drives. - Shortest route / household goods (HHG) miles — usually lower than what you drive. - Hub miles — what the odometer records. Rare, and usually the most accurate for you.
- Loaded vs. empty miles. Most carriers pay both, but some pay less (or nothing) for empty miles. Ask.
- Real weekly miles. A high CPM at 1,800 miles a week can pay less than a lower CPM at 2,700. Ask what drivers on that fleet averaged last quarter.
- Pay scale. Many carriers raise CPM with experience, safety records or tenure. Ask for the actual table.
Quick comparison (example numbers)
| Offer (example) | Rate | Realistic miles/week | Weekly pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | $0.68/mile | 1,900 | $1,292 |
| B | $0.60/mile | 2,600 | $1,560 |
Offer B pays about $268 more a week in this example despite the lower rate.
Percentage pay
You get a percentage of what the load pays. Common for owner-operators and some company jobs — especially flatbed, specialized and heavy haul.
- Ask what the percentage is of. Linehaul only? Fuel surcharge included? Accessorials?
- Ask to see the rated freight bill. For leased owner-operators paid a percentage, federal Truth-in-Leasing rules require the carrier to provide it (49 CFR 376.12(g)).
- Percentage pay moves with rates. Good markets pay well; slow markets pay less, even with the same miles.
Hourly pay
Common for local, LTL pickup-and-delivery and some dedicated jobs.
- You're paid for time, including waiting and loading — usually a big plus.
- Overtime: drivers whose hours fall under DOT rules are generally exempt from federal FLSA overtime (the motor carrier exemption), so don't assume time-and-a-half after 40 hours. Some employers and some states pay it anyway. Ask.
- Guaranteed hours? Ask about slow weeks and seasonal layoffs.
Salary, weekly pay and guarantees
Some carriers pay a weekly salary or a weekly minimum.
- A guarantee sets a floor if miles are slow. Read the conditions — some only apply if you're available every day or don't refuse loads.
- A salary may come with expectations about how many days or loads you run. Ask what happens with long weeks.
Extra pay: the details that add up
| Type | What it is | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Detention | Waiting time at a shipper or receiver past a free period | When does it start? Hourly rate? Cap? How often is it actually paid? |
| Layover | Pay when you're held overnight or a full day waiting for a load | After how many hours? Flat rate? |
| Breakdown | Pay when the truck is down for repairs while you're away | When does it start? Is a hotel paid? |
| Stop pay | A flat amount per extra pickup or delivery | Is the first stop excluded? |
| Unloading / touch freight | Pay for handling freight yourself | Is it required? Lumper fees reimbursed? |
| Tarp pay | Flatbed tarping | Per load or per tarp? |
| Hazmat / tanker premiums | Extra CPM or per-load pay for specialized freight | Endorsement required? |
| Bonuses | Sign-on, safety, fuel, referral | How and when are they paid? Can they be taken back? |
Sign-on bonuses are often paid in pieces over months. If you leave before the last payment, you won't get the rest — and some contracts claw back amounts already paid. Get the schedule in writing.
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Some carriers pay part of your mileage as per diem — a non-taxable meal and incidental expense allowance for nights away from home. The IRS sets a special rate for transportation workers each year; for travel from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 it was $80 per day in the continental U.S. (IRS Notice 2025-54).
- Upside: bigger take-home pay, because part of your pay isn't taxed.
- Downside: lower reported wages. That can mean lower Social Security credits and unemployment benefits, and lenders may count less income for a mortgage or car loan.
- Usually optional. Ask whether you can opt out, and whether per diem reduces your CPM.
Pay schedule and deductions
- How often you're paid — weekly is common. When does the pay week close?
- Direct deposit, pay cards, advances. Any fees?
- Deductions: benefits, uniforms, equipment damage, escrow. Ask for a sample settlement or paystub.
- Paperwork: when do you submit trip paperwork, and how fast is it paid?
How to compare two offers, step by step
- Get realistic weekly miles or hours for each — fleet average, not maximum.
- Multiply by the rate. Use paid miles the way each carrier counts them.
- Add accessorials you'll realistically earn — detention and stop pay you'll actually see, not the theoretical max.
- Subtract unpaid time. Weekends stuck waiting for a load, unpaid empty miles.
- Turn it into an annual number using the weeks you'll really work.
- Add benefits: health insurance premiums the company pays, 401(k) match, paid time off.
- Weigh home time. An extra 2 nights a week at home has real value.
If you're comparing a company job with an owner-operator or lease offer, the math is different — see company driver vs owner-operator vs lease: the real math. Use the load calculator for owner-operator loads.
Questions to ask about pay
- How are miles calculated, and are empty miles paid?
- What did solo drivers on this fleet average per week last quarter?
- What's the detention, layover and breakdown pay, and when does each start?
- Is there a weekly minimum? What are the conditions?
- How is the sign-on bonus paid out, and can it be taken back?
- Can I see a real settlement or paystub (with personal details removed)?
Get the answers in writing. Then use our recruiter questions checklist for everything beyond pay.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cents per mile for a truck driver?+
It depends on experience, freight type, region and miles. A high CPM with few miles can pay less than a lower CPM with steady miles. Compare realistic weekly pay instead. For context, the BLS reports a median annual wage of $58,640 for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers in May 2025.
Do truck drivers get overtime?+
Usually not. Drivers whose hours are regulated by the Department of Transportation are generally exempt from federal overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act's motor carrier exemption, though minimum wage rules still apply to employees and some state laws differ. Ask how hourly jobs handle long days.
What is detention pay?+
Pay for time spent waiting at a shipper or receiver beyond a set free period, often a couple of hours. Ask when it starts, the hourly rate, whether it's capped, and how you prove the time — usually ELD or check-in records.
What does 'practical miles' mean?+
Practical miles approximate the real truck route between stops. Shortest-route or 'household goods' miles are usually lower. If you're paid on shorter miles than you actually drive, your effective rate per mile driven is lower than advertised.
SemiLife guides are general information for drivers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and numbers change; we link official sources so you can check the current version. Spot an error? Email getsemilife@gmail.com.
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