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Trucking & Transportation Companies: Overtime Rules and Payroll Compliance (2026)
Overtime in trucking companies is time and one half after 40 hours on the regular rate, and the regular rate has to absorb per-diem pay for drivers and owner-operator vs W-2 classification before the premium is applied. BEG runs trucking company payroll for $45 per employee per month inside the payroll software you already use, all-inclusive, live in 3 to 5 business days.
The overtime rules that apply to trucking companies
Section 13(b)(1) of the FLSA provides an overtime exemption for employees of motor carriers and motor private carriers who work as drivers, driver's helpers, loaders or mechanics and whose duties affect the safety of operation of motor vehicles in interstate or foreign commerce.
The small vehicle exception restores FLSA overtime in any workweek in which the employee performs work on motor vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, except vehicles designed to carry more than 8 passengers for compensation, more than 15 passengers, or placarded hazardous materials.
Property-carrying drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, and may not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours in 8 consecutive days.
A worked example at trucking company wages
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at the May 2025 national median of $58,640 earn about $28 an hour on a 2,080-hour year. Ten overtime hours in a week cost $423 at time and one half. If that week also carried per-diem pay for drivers, the amount folds into the regular rate first and the premium rises with it; leaving it out is the most common overtime error in this industry.
How the payroll is set up to get it right
Each pay component is flagged at setup as included in or excluded from the regular rate, hours are captured by workweek rather than pay period, and any industry exemption is applied per employee with the supporting record kept. Overtime is then arithmetic, not judgment, on every run.
The rules behind this page, with sources
General information, not legal advice. Every rule below was read on the agency page linked next to it.
- Section 13(b)(1) of the FLSA provides an overtime exemption for employees of motor carriers and motor private carriers who work as drivers, driver's helpers, loaders or mechanics and whose duties affect the safety of operation of motor vehicles in interstate or foreign commerce. [DOL Fact Sheet #19]
- The small vehicle exception restores FLSA overtime in any workweek in which the employee performs work on motor vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, except vehicles designed to carry more than 8 passengers for compensation, more than 15 passengers, or placarded hazardous materials. [DOL Fact Sheet #19]
- Property-carrying drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, and may not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours in 8 consecutive days. [FMCSA Summary of Hours of Service Regulations]
Read the full guide to how to calculate overtime pay, and the rest of the trucking company payroll library.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which trucking company employees are exempt from overtime?
Section 13(b)(1) of the FLSA provides an overtime exemption for employees of motor carriers and motor private carriers who work as drivers, driver's helpers, loaders or mechanics and whose duties affect the safety of operation of motor vehicles in interstate or foreign commerce.
How is overtime calculated on per-diem pay for drivers?
per-diem pay for drivers is added to the week's straight-time pay, the total is divided by hours worked to get the regular rate, and the half-time premium is paid on that rate for every hour over 40. The small vehicle exception restores FLSA overtime in any workweek in which the employee performs work on motor vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, except vehicles designed to carry more than 8 passengers for compensation, more than 15 passengers, or placarded hazardous materials.
What does an overtime hour cost at trucking company wages?
At the BLS May 2025 national median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, $58,640 a year or about $28 an hour, an overtime hour is $42 before any bonus or differential is added to the rate.
What does managed payroll cost for a trucking company?
$45 per employee per month, all-inclusive, inside the payroll software you already use, with no monthly minimum. Per-diem pay for drivers, owner-operator vs W-2 classification and DOT compliance are configured at setup, not billed as add-ons.
Related Resources
Anthony leads payroll solutions at Business Executive Group, a national managed payroll firm serving businesses across industries including Trucking & Transportation Companies. BEG manages payroll at $45 PEPM, all-inclusive, with deep expertise in compliance, multi-state filing, and industry-specific payroll requirements. Get instant pricing at beghr.com.
Authoritative source: U.S. Department of Labor: Overtime Pay Under the FLSA
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