ATS Lifts Regional Van Pay to 70 CPM, Effective Sept. 7

ATS raises regional van-driver pay

Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) has raised pay for its regional company van drivers from **60 cents per mile to 70 cents per mile**, a 16.7% increase that took effect Monday, Sept. 7.

The St. Cloud, Minnesota-based carrier said the new rate applies to approximately 50 current regional company van drivers and establishes a higher starting rate for new hires. Eligible drivers can earn up to 72 cents per mile based on years of service. ATS said the higher cents-per-mile rate applies to both loaded and empty miles.

This is a specific carrier pay move, not proof that every truckload employer is raising pay. Still, it is a meaningful development for drivers evaluating regional van opportunities, recruiters competing for experienced CDL-A applicants, and smaller carriers deciding how to retain drivers when compensation expectations move.

What changed

ATS described the increase as one of the largest driver pay adjustments in its history. The change is limited to its **regional company van-driver** group.

The verified details

• Base regional company van pay moved from **$0.60 to $0.70 per mile**.
• The increase equals **10 cents per mile**, or **16.7%**.
• The effective date was **Sept. 7, 2026**.
• About **50 existing drivers** are covered, according to ATS.
• New hires into the affected regional van jobs will use the higher pay scale.
• Tenure can bring the rate up to **$0.72 per mile**.
• The new rate applies to **loaded and empty miles**.

ATS said it made the change to better align compensation with current freight-market conditions and to support recruiting and retention.

That last detail matters. A pay announcement is more meaningful when it changes compensation on miles drivers already run, rather than requiring a driver to hit a new production threshold, accept a different lane, or take on a temporary incentive program.

What the increase could mean in a paycheck

A 10-cent-per-mile increase is straightforward, but drivers should always compare pay using their own realistic paid-mile history rather than a recruiter’s best-case mileage estimate.

For example:

• At **2,000 paid miles** in a week, 10 additional cents per mile equals **$200 more gross pay**.
• At **2,200 paid miles**, the difference is **$220 more gross pay**.
• At **2,500 paid miles**, the difference is **$250 more gross pay**.

Those examples are before taxes, benefit deductions and any other payroll items. They also assume the miles are actually paid at the stated rate.

Because ATS says the increase covers both loaded and empty miles, drivers considering the affected roles should still ask how often they typically run empty, how miles are dispatched and whether the operation has any categories of miles that are paid differently. A cents-per-mile offer can look strong on paper while producing a lower weekly result if freight is inconsistent, detention is unpaid or home-time patterns reduce miles.

Why the regional van segment should pay attention

Regional van jobs often compete on a combination of pay, schedule predictability, freight consistency and time at home. A raise in this segment can become part of the comparison set for experienced drivers deciding whether to stay with a current employer or consider another fleet.

The ATS announcement does not mean every regional position now pays 70 cents per mile. Job type, geography, experience requirements, freight mix, home-time schedule and accessorial-pay programs vary widely. Flatbed, specialized, heavy-haul, dedicated and owner-operator opportunities also use different compensation structures.

But the move gives drivers a current, concrete reference point: a national carrier is advertising a 70-cent-per-mile base rate for the affected regional company van positions, with up to 72 cents based on tenure.

For applicants, the practical question is not simply whether another job matches 70 cents. The better question is whether another offer produces comparable weekly earnings and work conditions.

Questions drivers should ask before comparing offers

• Is the stated rate paid on every dispatched mile, including empty miles?
• What were the average paid miles for drivers in this exact fleet or lane during the last several months?
• Is pay hourly, per mile, percentage-based, salary-based or a blend?
• What pay applies for detention, layovers, breakdowns, orientation, tarping, extra stops or other non-driving work?
• Is there a minimum-pay guarantee, and what conditions apply?
• How often does the driver get home, and is home time predictable?
• What experience, safety record or tenure is required to reach the advertised top rate?
• Is the offer for a company-driver position, lease arrangement or independent-contractor opportunity?

The last question is especially important. Company-driver cents-per-mile pay should not be directly compared with lease or owner-operator gross revenue without accounting for truck payments, fuel, insurance, maintenance, taxes and other operating costs.

What carriers and recruiters can take from the announcement

For carriers, a visible pay adjustment from another employer can create questions from both current drivers and applicants. That does not automatically require a matching raise. It does mean compensation messaging should be accurate, easy to explain and backed by real operating conditions.

Recruiters should be prepared to explain the full value of a position rather than relying on a single top-line pay number. Drivers may reasonably compare offers on cents per mile, but they also evaluate equipment condition, freight availability, dispatch communication, safety culture, benefits and home time.

Practical steps for carrier recruiting teams

• Review current job ads for outdated mileage rates or vague earning claims.
• Separate starting pay, maximum pay and average earnings clearly.
• State whether empty miles are paid and identify major accessorial-pay policies.
• Train recruiters to distinguish company-driver jobs from lease and contractor opportunities.
• Ask current drivers where compensation expectations and job realities do not match.
• Monitor early-tenure turnover after orientation and after the first 30, 60 and 90 days.

A clear compensation conversation can be a retention tool as well as a recruiting tool. Drivers who understand how their pay is calculated are in a better position to judge whether the job fits their financial and lifestyle needs.

What this does not change

ATS's Sept. 7 increase does not change federal pay rules, CDL requirements, hours-of-service limits or a driver’s obligation to follow company and safety policies. It also does not establish an industrywide wage standard.

The announcement applies to ATS regional company van drivers. Drivers in other ATS divisions, drivers at other carriers, owner-operators and lease operators should not assume they are covered by this specific adjustment.

ATS says it has made multiple pay adjustments this year and intends to keep evaluating compensation as freight conditions evolve. For now, the immediate takeaway is narrower: regional company van drivers in the affected ATS group have a higher base mileage rate, and competitors for the same driver pool may face more pressure to clearly explain why their own opportunities remain attractive.

What to watch next

Drivers should watch whether other regional and dry-van carriers respond with higher base mileage rates, improved accessorial pay, guarantees or schedule improvements. Carriers should watch applicant questions, offer acceptance rates and voluntary turnover for signs that local pay expectations are changing.

A higher CPM rate is important, but it is only one part of a workable driving job. The strongest comparison remains the complete package: reliable miles, transparent pay, manageable home time, safe equipment and a carrier that follows through on what it advertises.