As an Over-the-Road (OTR) truck driver, you make significant sacrifices compared to someone working a traditional 9-to-5 job. OTR company drivers often spend extended periods away from home while striving to maximize their earnings as Class A drivers. Your paycheck as an OTR truck driver typically consists of two main components: cents per mile and miles driven per week. Plus, a milage guarantee.
While you can influence your cents per mile by researching various trucking companies and selecting the highest-paying driving job, the number of miles you run each week is largely beyond your control—it is determined by the company you work for. This is why it’s crucial for company drivers to choose employers that offer a milage guarantee. Truck driver reviews consistently indicate that drivers prefer guaranteed weekly miles when selecting an OTR trucking job.
How a Mileage Guarantee for OTR Drivers Typically Works
At every OTR trucking company that offers a mileage guarantee, there are specific stipulations associated with that mileage guarantee. Many companies impose terms related to days worked per week, on-time delivery, and load acceptance. Additionally, some trucking companies may consider other operational aspects when determining their guarantees.
For instance, a company with a 2,500-mile guarantee may pay you for the miles you didn’t run in a week. If you complete only 2,100 miles one week, the company may compensate you for the 400 miles you fell short. However, some trucking companies with guaranteed miles will also pay it one week and then pull back the next week. For example, if you then exceed 2,500 miles the following week by running 2,900 miles, the company may take back those 400 miles they previously paid you.
At K&B Transportation, we keep our guaranteed pay structure simple. Our company drivers are required to be on the road from Monday noon to the following Monday noon and must have no late deliveries. Unlike some companies, we don’t borrow from one week and take it back the next week.
A Mileage Guarantee is Important When Looking for a Truck Driving Job
If you’re trucking in 2024, you know that we are currently experiencing a freight recession. Truck driver recruiters at K&B Transportation are consistently receiving calls from drivers at other carriers who are running as low as 1,500 to 2,000 miles per week. The fact is, there are segments of the industry that are particularly slow right now.
For example, flatbed freight is sluggish due to high interest rates affecting the construction industry, while the dry van sector is also experiencing a downturn because of rising interest rates impacting consumer purchasing and a tight economy. In contrast, refrigerated freight tends to fare better during these challenging times since a significant percentage of this freight consists of food products.
Consumers may not be building houses or buying new televisions or automobiles, but they still need to eat every day. As a refrigerated OTR carrier, this demand keeps us busier than carriers in other segments of the industry, allowing us to guarantee our drivers 2,500 miles per week to accommodate occasional slow weeks.
At K&B Transportation, a leading reefer trucking company, we understand the importance of guaranteed miles. For more information about the benefits of reefer trucking, check out our blog post on the 4 Advantages of OTR Reefer Truck Jobs.
How Does K&B Transportation’s Guarantee Work?
At K&B Transportation, if a driver logs fewer than 2,500 miles in a week, their fleet manager will first verify whether the driver was on the road for the entire pay period and if they had any preventable late deliveries. If both criteria are met, the driver qualifies for the 2,500-mile guarantee. Upon qualification by operations, we will make up the mileage difference.
For example, if a Road Warrior driver at K&B Transportation earns 70 cents per mile and drives only 2,000 miles in a week, they will receive $350 in mileage guarantee pay to cover the shortfall. This structure guarantees our company drivers a minimum of $1,750 in mileage pay, not including accessory pay or bonuses.
Drivers, Review Your Paystub
If you’re an OTR truck driver for another trucking company, you need to check your paystub this week. If you are getting paid for fewer than 2,500 miles in any given week, you should call K&B Transportation recruiting. In fact, check your last five paystubs and add up the miles for any weeks with fewer than 2,500 miles.
If you are consistently running in the low 2,000-mile weekly range, you could be missing out on 2,500 miles or a whole week’s worth of driving that you didn’t get paid for, especially if your company offered a 2,500-mile guarantee like K&B Transportation. This can add up to a significant loss over just one month. Think about the impact that the lack of a mileage guarantee could have on your weekly earnings.
In conclusion, a mileage guarantee is essential for truck drivers in 2024’s freight economy. Find out more today by calling K&B Transportation recruiting at (800) 851-8651 or learn more at www.drive4kb.com.
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Join the K&B Transportation team for competitive pay and benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, along with job security and opportunities for career advancement. As a family-owned company, K&B Transportation is committed to driver satisfaction.
