Flatbed Truck Driver Compensation: How Percentage Pay Outweighs Mileage

High Performers Earn More

Flatbed truck drivers work hard, and they should be fairly compensated for their efforts. With mileage, truck drivers are only paid for the miles they drive. It doesn’t include the time spent waiting to load and unload, stuck in traffic or securing and tarping the commodity. With percentage pay, flatbed truck drivers earn money based on the value of the load. They are motivated to improve their performance by efficiently planning their route, minimizing layover times and making timely deliveries. Higher performance means more loads, and more loads means more money with percentage pay.

Boost Earnings with Safer Driving

Fuel costs are a significant portion of a trucking company’s expenses, especially with rising diesel prices. Flatbed truck drivers help manage these costs, and with a percentage pay system, they are encouraged to adopt more fuel-efficient habits. By maintaining consistent speeds, reducing idle time, and avoiding abrupt maneuvers, flatbed truck drivers can improve their fuel economy and become safer drivers. When flatbed truck drivers are paid by the load and not the mile, they can confidently adjust their driving habits and limit these expenses. With PGT’s added safety incentives, flatbed truck drivers will boost their own earnings as well.

Fair Pay for Short Distances

Mileage pay doesn’t always compensate truck drivers for short-distance hauls or congested routes. Most of the time, mileage-based carriers only pay based on the distance between the shipper and receiver zip codes. This doesn’t match the actual number of miles driven, and truck drivers may miss out on pay opportunities if they have to detour or prefer to take a different route. With percentage pay, flatbed truck drivers earn the appropriate compensation regardless of the distance they drive. Percentage pay outweighs the mileage no matter the trip length.

Less Impact from External Factors

Traffic congestion, road closures, and poor weather conditions can all negatively impact truck drivers on a mileage pay system. All these things are outside the truck driver’s control, and it can be stressful to manage these delays – every truck driver knows that they aren’t getting paid when the wheels don’t turn. Thanks to percentage pay, these factors don’t change a flatbed truck driver’s pay since they’re paid for the value of the load, not how many miles they traveled in a day. This reduces the  

Freedom to Choose the Route

With mileage pay, truck drivers often have to travel the dispatched route, which is usually the lowest mileage. Some mileage-based trucking companies might not even account for any detours made due to road construction or traffic congestion. In the trucking industry, time is money, and truck drivers should have the freedom to choose the route that best suits their needs. Flatbed truck drivers using a percentage pay system can set up their own trip plan, factoring in their Hours of Service, preferred routes and truck stops, the time of day, parking locations, and more. When a flatbed truck driver is paid by the load value, they can choose the route they want to take.

Shared Investment

When truck drivers are paid by the mile, they aren’t always receiving a share of the company’s profits. With percentage pay, trucking companies and their truck drivers have a mutual investment in the company’s profits. Flatbed truck drivers earn a percentage of the revenue, and when the company makes more, so does the driver. Both parties are committed to helping the other succeed, and thanks to PGT’s  

Rate Transparency

With a percentage pay system, flatbed truck drivers know how much they’re going to make before they’re dispatched. The value of the load is already set, and by applying their percentage, the truck drivers know their anticipated revenue from the start. Under mileage pay, most truck drivers have to accept the load before they know exactly how many miles they have to travel, and it doesn’t account for any changes in the route along the way.

Stop counting miles and receive your fair share of the load!

Flatbed truck drivers work hard, and they deserve to be paid for their time behind the wheel AND out of the cab. With PGT’s percentage pay structure, our Proud Professionals are fairly compensated for every load they haul, regardless of the miles they drive. For more than four decades, we have been committed to the success and safety of our flatbed truck drivers.

Interested in joining our team? Find out what makes PGT Trucking a 2023 Best Fleets to Drive For® Top 20 Company and apply today! We have positions for Company Drivers, Lease Purchase Operators, Independent Contractors and Owner-Operators. Call our Recruiting Department today at 800.837.7748 to find out more about lanes in your area.