As a truck driver, you want to always be pulling a load. This means that after you deliver a shipment, you want to be loading up a new load quickly and bringing it back home. This is truck driving 101. You know that not all loads are created equal: a van shipment will pay less than a flatbed, and a flatbed will pay less than a reefer. But the prices vary dramatically by state. If you are able to control more precisely where you deliver to, then it is best to pay attention to the best and worst states for outbound freight. Let’s take a look at the top and bottom 10 states in flatbed, reefer, and van over the past 12 months, according to DAT.
Flatbed - Top 10 (as of 4/25/23)
Flatbed - Bottom 10 (as of 4/25/23)
Reefer - Top 10 (as of 4/25/23)
Reefer - Bottom 10 (as of 4/25/23)
Van - Top 10 (as of 4/25/23)
Van - Bottom 10 (as of 4/25/23)
The idea here is not to boycott the low-paying states, but rather develop relationships with those who pay better than average in those states. By doing so you can guarantee that you will be hired for the job, and through patronizing those that pay better, you can encourage the industry as a whole to pay better.
