New Driver Pay Moves Put Detention and Task Pay in Focus

Two recent pay announcements point beyond cents per mile

A pair of recent carrier compensation announcements is putting more attention on a question CDL drivers often ask after they have already accepted a job: **How does the carrier pay when the truck is not simply rolling down the highway?**

On September 22, Illinois-based Nussbaum Transportation announced increases to activity pay, detention pay, weekly guarantees and trainer compensation. The company said the move is its second major pay action of 2026. Separately, Roehl Transport said its second driver pay increase of 2026 will take effect October 4 for most company drivers in several divisions. Independent reporting said Roehl’s latest package includes a 2- to 3-cent-per-mile increase plus higher accessorial pay, with the total increase varying by fleet and driver experience.

Neither announcement establishes an industrywide pay standard. But together, they offer a useful real-time reminder for drivers, recruiters and fleets: a CPM number alone does not fully describe a driving job’s compensation.

What Nussbaum changed

Nussbaum’s September 22 announcement focused heavily on pay for work that occurs at pickups, deliveries and during delays.

The carrier said it increased:

• Activity pay from **$20 to $23** for each pickup, delivery and stop-off.
• Trailer relay and shuttle pay from **$12 to $15** per event.
• Detention pay from **$20 to $25 per hour**.
• Its weekly minimum guarantee by **$50 per week**.
• Trainer pay from an additional **$500 to $750 per week**.

Nussbaum said its detention pay continues to begin after one hour. It also said detention pay is being increased fleetwide, while the activity-pay and guarantee changes apply to its OTR and Regional Van System drivers.

The structure matters because a driver’s workload can vary greatly even when weekly mileage is similar. A short-haul or high-touch freight week may include more check-ins, dock time, paperwork, trailer moves and customer stops than a long-haul week. Those tasks can consume time without adding many paid miles.

Nussbaum also announced an additional $50 per qualifying week for drivers on a specific project it calls the Illuminate Loop. According to the company, that payment is intended to help offset reduced productivity on a recurring lane pairing that uses more of a driver’s available hours-of-service clock.

What Roehl changed

Roehl announced its second driver pay increase of the year on September 16, with an effective date of **October 4, 2026**. The company said the changes apply to most company drivers in its refrigerated, flatbed, van, curtainside and dedicated divisions.

Roehl’s public announcement did not publish a full pay table. However, Trucking Dive reported September 22 that Roehl’s vice president of driver employment said the new plan raises mileage pay by 2 to 3 cents per mile and also increases accessorial pay. The reported accessorial categories include stops, detention, drop-and-hook activity and flatbed tarping.

According to that report, the overall increase ranges from 7% to 11%, depending on the driver’s experience and fleet. Roehl also said it is increasing compensation for owner-operators and lease operators, though it did not release specific figures for that portion of the program.

This distinction is important for drivers comparing jobs. A pay package can change in different ways across a carrier’s freight network. A van driver, a flatbed driver and a refrigerated driver may face different work patterns, customer requirements and delay risks. A driver should not assume that a headline pay increase applies in the same form to every division, account or location.

Why detention and task pay deserve closer attention

Mileage pay remains a central part of compensation in truckload operations. It is familiar, easy to compare and directly connected to how many loaded and empty miles a driver runs. But it is not the only source of earnings, and it does not capture every part of the job.

A driver evaluating a position should understand the pay treatment for at least five situations:

1. **Pickup and delivery work.** Ask whether both the first pickup and final delivery are paid separately, or whether only extra stops receive pay. 2. **Detention.** Confirm the waiting-time threshold, hourly amount, documentation requirements and whether the driver is paid regardless of whether the carrier recovers money from the customer. 3. **Breakdown and layover.** Find out what happens financially when equipment trouble, a canceled load or a service delay prevents productive miles. 4. **Specialized work.** Flatbed securement, tarping, trailer relays, shuttles, drop-and-hook moves and other duties may have separate pay rules. 5. **Weekly guarantees.** Determine the eligibility requirements, exceptions and whether the guarantee is based on dispatch availability, attendance, location or another condition.

These details can be especially important for regional drivers and drivers assigned to freight with multiple stops. They can also matter for new CDL holders who may compare an attractive mileage rate with a lower advertised rate that includes stronger compensation for non-driving time.

What drivers should ask before accepting an offer

A driver does not need to rely on a recruiting headline or a single annual-income claim. Ask for the actual pay plan for the specific fleet, lane or account under consideration.

Useful questions include:

• What is the base mileage rate for my experience level and fleet?
• Are practical miles, household-goods miles, zip-code miles or another mileage system used?
• Which pickups, deliveries and stop-offs receive activity pay?
• When does detention begin, and what proof is required?
• Is detention paid if the shipper does not reimburse the carrier?
• What are the breakdown, layover and extra-stop rates?
• Does the account include a weekly minimum guarantee? What can disqualify a driver from it?
• Which pay items differ by division, customer account, home location or experience level?
• When does the new rate become effective, and will it appear automatically on settlements?

Drivers should also keep copies of the written pay plan, offer letter and any account-specific addendum. If a recruiter describes a rate or guarantee, requesting the terms in writing can make later comparisons much easier.

What carriers and recruiters can take from these announcements

For carriers, the practical message is not that every operation should use the same pay model. Freight mix, customer contracts and operating costs differ. The message is that compensation communication must be specific.

A recruiting ad that says “up to” a certain annual income or advertises a high CPM may attract attention, but drivers also want to know what happens on difficult weeks. Clear explanations of activity pay, detention, guarantees, home-time expectations and account requirements can help set realistic expectations before orientation.

Recruiters should be prepared to explain total compensation in plain language, including what is automatic, what must be requested and what conditions apply. They should avoid presenting an unusually strong settlement week as if it is a guaranteed outcome for every candidate.

For staffing agencies and independent recruiters, the same principle applies when matching drivers to clients. A strong match requires more than confirming CDL class, endorsements and experience. It also requires matching the driver’s preferences to the operation’s compensation structure. A driver seeking long-haul mileage may value a different package than a driver seeking predictable regional work with frequent customer stops.

What to watch next

The immediate dates are clear. Nussbaum announced its latest changes on September 22, while Roehl’s announced program is scheduled to take effect October 4. The next question is whether other carriers respond with similar adjustments to mileage, detention and accessorial pay as they compete for qualified drivers.

For now, the most practical takeaway is straightforward: compare the full pay plan, not just the CPM. The value of a driving job can depend just as much on how a carrier pays for waiting, tasks, delays and disrupted weeks as on the rate paid for miles.