Trucking Fleets Grow for Third Consecutive Month as Driver Turnover Falls
Published: October 2nd, 2026
Key Takeaways
- The STPS Fleet Growth Index increased 0.19% in September 2026, marking the third consecutive month of growth.
- Monthly driver turnover fell to 8.15%, down from 9.37% in August and 15.06% in September 2025.
- The STPS Driver Pay Index declined to 154.13, but remained 16.6% higher than one year earlier.
- Together, the September 2026 trucking labor data suggests cautious fleet expansion, better driver retention and driver compensation that remains elevated despite cooling from its June peak.
- The three indexes measure different parts of the trucking labor market. They should be considered together, but the data does not prove that one trend caused another.
Who Is This For?
This report is for trucking-company owners, executives, CFOs, controllers, HR leaders and payroll professionals who want to understand what is happening with driver employment, pay and turnover.
The information comes from anonymized payroll data processed by Superior Trucking Payroll Service. It offers a view of actual driver payroll activity rather than surveys or predictions.
What Happened in the Trucking Labor Market in September 2026?
The September 2026 trucking labor data from Superior Trucking Payroll Service tells a fairly consistent story.
Fleets continued to add drivers, although growth slowed considerably from August. Driver turnover declined for the second consecutive month. Driver pay also declined from its record level in June, but remained substantially higher than it was one year ago.
The three September measurements were:
| STPS measurement | August 2026 | September 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fleet Growth Index | +1.63% | +0.19% | Growth continued at a slower rate |
| Driver Turnover Report | 9.37% | 8.15% | Down 1.22 percentage points |
| Driver Pay Index | 158.08 | 154.13 | Down 2.50% |
No single month establishes a long-term trend. However, the September results add to several months of data showing that fleets in the STPS sample are cautiously expanding while driver turnover remains below its early-summer level.
Trucking Fleets Grew for the Third Consecutive Month
The STPS Fleet Growth Index increased 0.19% in September.
That followed growth of 0.80% in July and 1.63% in August. June had recorded a 0.86% decline.
The recent results are:
- June 2026: -0.86%
- July 2026: +0.80%
- August 2026: +1.63%
- September 2026: +0.19%
September’s increase was small, but it was still positive. That makes September the third consecutive month in which the fleets measured by STPS increased their average number of drivers paid per week.
The slowdown from 1.63% growth in August to 0.19% in September is important. This does not look like rapid or aggressive fleet expansion. It looks more like trucking companies are cautiously adding drivers while continuing to watch freight demand, rates and operating costs.
The Fleet Growth Index compares the average number of drivers paid per week by matching trucking companies from one month to the next. It is designed to measure changes within continuing fleets rather than changes caused by customers entering or leaving the STPS dataset.
Driver Turnover Fell to 8.15%
The monthly STPS Driver Turnover Report fell from 9.37% in August to 8.15% in September.
That is a decline of 1.22 percentage points in one month.
The year-over-year comparison is even more significant. Driver turnover was 15.06% in September 2025. September 2026 turnover was therefore 6.91 percentage points lower than it was one year earlier.
The latest results are:
- June 2026: 14.21%
- July 2026: 7.12%
- August 2026: 9.37%
- September 2026: 8.15%
September produced the second-lowest monthly turnover rate in the data from January 2025 through September 2026. Only July 2026, at 7.12%, was lower.
The rolling 12-month turnover figure also declined. Monthly turnover for the 12 months ending in September totaled 126.31%, compared with 133.22% for the 12 months ending in August.
That does not mean the driver-retention problem has disappeared. An annualized turnover rate above 100% still represents considerable movement within the driver workforce. However, the recent decline is meaningful, particularly when compared with the sharp turnover increases recorded in June 2026 and September 2025.
Driver Pay Continued to Cool but Remained Well Above Last Year
The STPS Driver Pay Index declined from 158.08 in August to 154.13 in September.
This was the third consecutive monthly decline after the index reached its highest recorded level of 170.04 in June.
The recent Driver Pay Index results are:
- June 2026: 170.04
- July 2026: 161.31
- August 2026: 158.08
- September 2026: 154.13
Driver compensation has clearly cooled from the June peak. However, that does not mean driver pay has returned to last year’s level.
The Driver Pay Index was 132.18 in September 2025. At 154.13, the September 2026 index was 16.61% higher than one year earlier.
The average index for January through September 2026 was 152.37, compared with 133.88 during the same period in 2025. That represents a 13.81% increase in the year-to-date average.
The Driver Pay Index measures average compensation per qualifying driver pay. It includes taxable gross pay and payroll-administered per diem. January 2020 serves as the baseline with an index value of 100.
The index is not a measurement of cents per mile, hourly wages or annual income. It is intended to show how average driver compensation per pay period changes over time.
What Do the Three September Indexes Tell Us Together?
Each STPS index measures something different:
- The Fleet Growth Index measures whether fleets are adding or losing drivers.
- The Driver Turnover Report measures the percentage of drivers who were paid in one month but not the following month.
- The Driver Pay Index measures changes in average driver compensation per qualifying pay.
Looking at all three together provides more context than examining any one number by itself.
September showed fleets continuing to grow, lower driver turnover and pay that remained considerably higher than a year earlier.
One possible interpretation is that elevated driver compensation may be helping carriers retain drivers as they cautiously add capacity. However, the data does not prove that higher pay caused turnover to fall.
Many factors can affect driver turnover, including:
- Freight availability
- Driver miles
- Home time
- Communication
- Equipment quality
- Dispatch relationships
- Payroll accuracy
- Pay-statement clarity
- The availability of jobs at competing carriers
Pay matters, but the amount printed on a driver’s check is only part of the driver’s overall experience with a trucking company.
What Should Trucking Companies Take From the September Data?
Trucking companies should not view the September results as a signal to stop paying attention to driver compensation or retention.
Although driver pay has declined from its June peak, the index remains far above last year’s level. Fleets evaluating driver pay should compare their compensation with the current market, not with what they were paying one or two years ago.
The lower turnover rate is encouraging, but carriers should continue looking closely at why drivers stay and why they leave.
Payroll can play a larger role in retention than many fleets realize. Drivers need to understand:
- Which loads they were paid for
- How their mileage or percentage pay was calculated
- How per diem affected their taxable wages
- Why deductions were taken
- Whether bonuses, reimbursements and additional pay were included
- Who to contact when something does not look right
A competitive pay rate can attract a driver. Consistent, accurate and understandable payroll helps build the trust needed to keep that driver.
About the STPS Trucking Labor Data
Superior Trucking Payroll Service produces three recurring measurements using anonymized payroll information.
STPS Driver Pay Index
The Driver Pay Index measures changes in average compensation per qualifying driver pay. Taxable gross pay and payroll-administered per diem are included. January 2020 equals 100.
STPS Driver Turnover Report
The Driver Turnover Report identifies drivers who were paid in one month but not in the following month. A trucking company must have qualifying payroll activity in both months to be included. Initial and final client months are excluded to avoid treating the addition or departure of an entire client as driver turnover.
STPS Fleet Growth Index
The Fleet Growth Index measures changes in the average number of drivers paid per week among matched trucking companies. Matching companies between months reduces changes caused solely by clients entering or leaving the dataset.
The reports generally focus on W-2 company drivers. Independent contractors, owner-operators and non-driver employees are excluded unless otherwise stated.
Frequently Asked Questions
The STPS Driver Pay Index decreased from 158.08 in August to 154.13 in September. However, the September 2026 index remained 16.61% higher than its September 2025 level of 132.18.
The STPS Driver Turnover Report measured September turnover at 8.15%. That was down from 9.37% in August 2026 and 15.06% in September 2025.
The STPS Fleet Growth Index increased 0.19% in September 2026. This was the third consecutive monthly increase, following growth of 0.80% in July and 1.63% in August.
Competitive pay can affect retention, but the STPS data does not prove that higher pay caused turnover to decline. Driver turnover is also affected by miles, home time, equipment, communication, payroll accuracy and other working conditions.
The reports use anonymized payroll information processed by Superior Trucking Payroll Service. The measurements are based on actual payroll activity within the STPS sample and are not intended to represent a census of the entire trucking industry.
Better Trucking Payroll Builds Driver Trust
The September numbers show why trucking companies need more than a basic payroll system. Driver compensation is changing, fleets are adjusting their size and carriers continue to manage significant driver turnover.
Superior Trucking Payroll Service helps trucking companies handle mileage and percentage pay, payroll-administered per diem, multi-state taxation and detailed driver pay statements. We make payroll fit trucking instead of forcing trucking companies into a generic payroll process.
To learn whether STPS would be a good fit for your fleet, contact Superior Trucking Payroll Service or visit TruckingPayroll.com.
Written by
Mike Ritzema
Mike Ritzema founded Superior Trucking Payroll Service after years as a trucking CFO — so he knows the industry from the inside out. He writes about payroll, per diem, and driver pay with one goal: making life easier for trucking families. When he’s not solving payroll problems, you’ll find him crossing another MLB stadium off his bucket list.