Average earnings in the truck transportation and warehousing industry are higher than the average for all private industry, as shown in table 2. The average wage in the trucking sector of the industry was higher than the average wage in warehousing. Earnings in selected occupations in truck transportation and warehousing appear in table 3.
Table 2. Average earnings of nonsupervisory workers in truck transportation and warehousing, 2002
| Industry segment |
Weekly |
Hourly |
| |
|
|
| All private industry |
$506 |
$14.95 |
| |
|
|
| Truck transportation |
627 |
15.78 |
General freight trucking |
652 |
16.19 |
Specialized freight trucking |
562 |
14.69 |
| |
|
|
| Warehousing and storage |
572 |
14.87 |
Refrigerated warehousing and storage |
662 |
16.37 |
Miscellaneous warehousing and storage |
578 |
15.35 |
General warehousing and storage |
563 |
14.66 |
Most employers compensate truck drivers with an hourly rate or a rate-per-mile system. Truck drivers who operate heavy tractor-trailers generally have higher earnings than those who drive light delivery trucks. Benefits, including performance related bonuses, health insurance, and sick and vacation leave are common in the trucking industry. The major union in the truck transportation and warehousing industry is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. About 13 percent of trucking and warehousing workers are union members or are covered by union contracts, compared to about 15 percent of workers in all industries combined. Some trucking companies use "double breasting" in an attempt to lower labor costs. This involves employing union as well as nonunion operating divisions. Other companies use multi-tier wage scales and pay lower wages for new hires. Pay increases after predetermined periods and safe driving records.
Table 3. Median hourly earnings of the largest occupations in truck transportation and warehousing, 2002
| Occupation |
Truck transportation |
Warehousing and storage |
All industries |
| General and operations managers |
$28.89 |
$33.43 |
$32.80 |
| First-line supervisors/managers of transportation and material-moving machine and vehicle operators |
21.40 |
18.35 |
20.63 |
| Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer |
17.10 |
16.17 |
15.97 |
| Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance |
16.72 |
15.01 |
14.56 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists |
15.49 |
17.56 |
16.53 |
| Industrial truck and tractor operators |
14.29 |
12.07 |
12.54 |
| Customer service representatives |
13.46 |
12.44 |
12.62 |
| Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks |
12.53 |
13.36 |
13.16 |
| Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand |
11.46 |
10.87 |
9.48 |
| Office clerks, general |
11.11 |
11.23 |
10.71 |
| Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive |
10.29 |
11.89 |
12.16 |
|
