The National Survey of Driver Wages' latest annualized projections show company drivers and leased owner-operators earning more than they did a year ago.

The Survey, which projects annualized earnings including benefits and other factors, found that for company drivers pulling dry vans, the average earnings for the August 2000 quarter were $38,458, compared to $37,179 a year ago. For flatbed company drivers, this quarter's numbers were $37,062 compared to last year's $36,050. And for refrigerated drivers, earnings were $39,275 compared to $38,030 a year ago.
Owner-operators also saw some increase in projected earnings, though no doubt higher fuel prices are taking a bigger bite out of them. Dry van owner-operators' projected earnings were $92,641 on average, compared to $91,629 last year. For flatbed owner-operators, this quarter showed $86,856 compared to $86,170 a year ago. And for refrigerated owner-operators, this quarter's earnings were projected at an average of $97,915 compared to $97,139 last year.
Percentage-wise, the company drivers experienced a bigger gain in average annualized earnings than the company drivers, approximately 3%, while owner-operators' earnings were up no more than about 1%.
For most categories, the numbers represent a gain every quarter of the year. The exceptions were flatbed and refrigerated owner-operators, whose earnings were essentially flat between the February and May surveys.