Mileage Pay Vs Percentage Pay - Which Is Better?

For clarity purposes are percentage pay drivers still "company drivers" as oppossed to lease operators or owner operators?

are percentage pay drivers still "company drivers" as oppossed to lease operators or owner operators?

Yes, it's just a different method of calculating their pay. Typically a strong solid driver will do equally as well using either method of payment.

What has always made me laugh about this discussion—I’m a second year driver working for a “starter” company that hauls general flatbed freight, while getting paid by the mile. I too gross over $2k weekly and am on track to make over $85k this year. How odd is that?

I'd say you're doing great and have proven yourself to be doing a damn fine job. I am curious as to how many miles you're turning a week. The reason for my comparison wasn't to try and brag because if you ever met me, you'd know I'm definitely not that type of person. The reason was to show that there are other options to make solid money without having to rack up tons of miles in freight that doesn't get effected as much by the market while still running percentage. If I can make just as much as someone else turning significantly less mileage on fewer loads, why wouldn't I?

If I can make just as much as someone else turning significantly less mileage on fewer loads, why wouldn't I?

Yeah, but tell the whole story. You're also doing a hell of a lot more work than a guy pulling a dry van and you're also dealing with a lot more legalities and limitations with oversize permitting, escorts, not driving in inclimate weather, not driving at night, etc.

So it's not just a matter of doing less and making more. You're doing just as much work as the next guy, you have your own limitations, and you're dealing with just as many headaches. It's just different work, different limitations, and different headaches.

If I can make just as much as someone else turning significantly less mileage on fewer loads, why wouldn't I?

Yeah, but tell the whole story. You're also doing a hell of a lot more work than a guy pulling a dry van and you're also dealing with a lot more legalities and limitations with oversize permitting, escorts, not driving in inclimate weather, not driving at night, etc.

So it's not just a matter of doing less and making more. You're doing just as much work as the next guy, you have your own limitations, and you're dealing with just as many headaches. It's just different work, different limitations, and different headaches.

They are only "headaches" if you look at them that way. I will take flatbed "headaches" over box pulling "hell" any day. The driving limitations are just part of the course. I love pulling Permitted loads, because that is darn near bankers hours driving. And they pay more.

I am curious as to how many miles you're turning a week

2800-3100.

Define headaches? Yes, this is an over dimensional load which requires permits but the routing is exactly the same as a legal load. I spent the majority of the winter above I80 pulling mostly legal loads in horrible weather just like everyone else. Today was a 630 mile day that I started at 0700 and finished just before 6. It doesn't seem so horrible to me lol. Open deck work is the same whether it's a permit load or not and when you're getting into working with pilot cars it's not that much of a hassle, just more logistic work with significantly better pay which is neither cpm or percentage.

I just looked through the permits on this particular load to verify again but in the seven states it's going through, 24/7 travel with no daylight restrictions. Yes, it is more work depending on the load and where you're at but the vast majority of open deck transport is daylight work so I personally don't mind not having to drive at night in the middle of a snow storm.

I'm just trying to help new drivers understand that flatbed jobs, including those pulling specialized freight, aren't simply a matter of doing less work but making more money, which is how you're making it sound when you say you're making the same as everyone else but only turning 2,100 miles per week. This was your exact statement:

If I can make just as much as someone else turning significantly less mileage on fewer loads, why wouldn't I?

That's not the whole story, you know it and I know it, but a new driver won't know it. They'll hear that and think, "Hey, this guy's got it easy. He's riding the gravy train. Why should I work so hard when I can do less and make more like this guy? I'm gonna do that too."

But that's not the case. You don't have it easy. You do a lot of hard work in very tough conditions. In fact, I pulled dry vans and reefers most of my career because I could make just as much money kicking back in a climate controlled cab on cruise control listening to Bob Seger as you guys made tarping loads in 100 degree Texas heat or -20 degree Wisconsin winters. All of that extra work and suffering for the same wage didn't make any sense to me. So I just wanted to give people a better picture of reality than what your abbreviated statement implied.

I truly see your point. I just wanted to add into the conversation that percentage isn't such a horrible thing and a driver with 18 months to 2 years under their belt can easily move into this area. From here, the possibilities become pretty much endless. There are several drivers on here who fit that criteria but may not be aware of the potential and while you personally couldn't justify it, not every driver is you.