Averitt Raises Regional Driver Pay to 66 Cents Per Mile as Capacity Tightens

Averitt has increased compensation for regional and less-than-truckload drivers as carriers compete for qualified professionals in a tightening labor market. Trucking Dive reported August 7 that the Tennessee-based carrier raised its regional mileage rate from 64 cents to 66 cents per mile and simplified parts of its compensation structure. The company operates with more than 2,500 drivers.

Averitt says the revised package lifts average weekly earnings for regional drivers to approximately $1,550 while retaining benefits and accessorial pay for detention, layovers, stop-offs and other services. LTL increases vary by location, experience and driver classification. The carrier also introduced a $25 payment for each hazardous-materials load hauled by a driver with the required endorsement, making specialized work more directly visible in the pay structure.

The announcement does not establish a national wage benchmark, and actual earnings depend on miles, assignments, home-time schedules, eligibility and accessorial activity. It does, however, add to evidence that experienced, compliant drivers have more leverage where carrier capacity is tightening. Industry economists have recently described a market in which excess supply is shrinking even before freight demand produces a broad-based boom.

CDL applicants comparing jobs should look beyond the headline cents-per-mile figure. Ask whether miles are practical and consistent, how waiting time is paid, which benefits require employee contributions, when home time begins and whether endorsements create additional duties or compensation. Current drivers should compare total annual income, equipment quality, terminal support and schedule reliability before changing carriers. A clearer pay system can help recruiting, but its real value is determined by the miles, working conditions and support that drivers receive after orientation.