Driver pay benchmarks: what mid-size fleets are paying CDL-As this quarter
CPM, percentage, and salary models — with regional adjustments.
Mid-size fleet operators — those running 10–50 trucks — are facing the same driver market as the large carriers but without the same recruiting infrastructure. The pay packages need to be competitive without the brand recognition of a Werner or Swift to carry them. Understanding what the market is actually paying, by model and region, is the starting point for any retention strategy.
CPM rates in Q4 2025
The median CPM rate for OTR CDL-A drivers at mid-size fleets is $0.58 in Q4 2025, according to data aggregated from fleet operator surveys and public job postings. Top-quartile packages in competitive markets — the Southeast, parts of the Midwest, and Texas — reach $0.62–$0.65 CPM for experienced drivers. The national floor for OTR work has compressed to around $0.52 CPM for drivers with less than two years of experience; packages below that level are seeing near-zero applicant response in most markets.
Regional dry van and flatbed rates run $0.02–$0.04 higher on a CPM basis than OTR, reflecting the more predictable home-time schedule that regional runs allow.
Percentage pay: gaining traction in certain segments
Percentage-of-load pay — typically 25–30% of gross freight revenue — is growing in flatbed and specialized freight, where load-to-load revenue varies enough that CPM underrepresents the actual pay opportunity. Several mid-size flatbed operators report that experienced drivers prefer percentage pay because their skill set commands higher-revenue loads and they capture the upside.
The math favors experienced drivers: a 28% cut of a $3,200 load is $896. At 2,200 miles, that works out to $0.408/mile equivalent — lower than CPM rates on paper. But specialized loads are rarely 2,200 miles at spot rates; many are shorter with higher revenue per mile. Operators who have switched to percentage-of-load report improved retention among their highest-earning drivers and reduced resistance to working premium freight.
Salary models for dedicated runs
Dedicated account work is increasingly structured as weekly salary rather than CPM, particularly for routes with predictable mileage and home-daily or home-weekly frequency. Weekly salary benchmarks for CDL-A dedicated drivers in Q4 2025 range from $1,350–$1,600/week gross for home-daily routes and $1,500–$1,750/week for regional dedicated with consistent home-weekly schedules.
The advantage for fleet operators: salary models eliminate productivity incentives that can push CPM-paid drivers into unsafe speed choices. The disadvantage: guaranteed pay regardless of freight availability is a fixed cost that requires consistent load planning.
What the bonus structure looks like
Signing bonuses have flattened from their 2021–2022 peaks. The median new-hire bonus at mid-size fleets is $2,500–$3,500, paid in installments over 90–180 days. Referral bonuses for driver-referred hires have held up better and are running $1,000–$2,000 at most operators.
Safety bonuses — paid quarterly for clean inspection records and no preventable accidents — are reported as more effective at improving retention than signing bonuses. Drivers who receive safety bonuses consistently over 12 months are retained at materially higher rates than drivers who receive only signing bonuses.