What’s happening with driver pay at private fleets? Benchmarking activity tells a much different story than at for-hire carriers

While driver compensation at for-hire motor carriers has mostly been in a holding pattern since the beginning of 2023, driver compensation data for private fleets — those who run trucking fleets hauling primarily their own companies’ freight — tells a different story: they have been highly active in benchmarking and adjusting their pay packages amid a push to fortify their transportation networks and recruit and retain the drivers they need not only for today, but for the next freight cycle, too.