Every trucking company uses different language to describe how you get paid. CPM here, percentage of load there, 'all-in rate' somewhere else. Once you know how to decode the structure, comparing offers becomes straightforward. Here's the full breakdown.
Cents Per Mile (CPM)
CPM is the most common pay structure for company drivers. You earn a fixed rate per loaded mile driven. At Hylas Companion, company drivers earn 85¢ CPM (dry van), 87¢ (reefer), or 90¢ (flatbed). On a 2,500-mile week, that's $2,125–$2,250 gross — and since you're a company driver, you have zero truck, insurance, or fuel expenses. What you see is close to what you keep (minus personal taxes).
CPM Math
2,500 miles × $0.90/mi = $2,250/week → $117,000/year at 52 weeks. No deductions for fuel, truck, or insurance.
Revenue Share / Percentage
Used almost exclusively in lease purchase and owner-operator programs. You earn a percentage of what the load actually pays — not a fixed rate per mile. At Hylas Companion, lease drivers earn 88% of gross. On a flatbed load paying $4.50/mile over 2,500 miles, your gross is $9,900. Then your expenses come out (fuel, truck note, insurance, ELD, etc.). Revenue share rewards you when freight rates are high and hurts more when rates dip.
Per Practical Load (PPL)
PPL pays you a flat dollar amount per load dispatched to you, calculated by a practical-route-miles formula. It's most common with flatbed specialty carriers. The advantage is predictability per load rather than worrying about deadhead miles — you're compensated on the practical route, not just the loaded miles. Hylas Companion offers PPL as one of our company driver options for flatbed.
W2 Weekly / Hourly
Local and regional positions are often salaried W2 or hourly. You get a guaranteed weekly check — $1,200 to $2,500/week depending on the account, or $28–$32/hour for dedicated hourly positions. The benefit is predictability: you know what's coming. The tradeoff is that you can't earn more by running more miles. For drivers who value stability over ceiling, W2 local is the right structure.
| Pay Type | Who It's For | Typical Range | Expenses Borne By |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPM | Company OTR drivers | 85–90¢/mile | Carrier |
| Revenue Share | Lease / Owner-Op | 85–90% of gross | Driver |
| PPL | Flatbed company drivers | Varies by route | Carrier |
| W2 Weekly | Local / regional | $1,200–$2,500/wk | Carrier |
| Hourly | Local / dedicated | $28–$32/hr | Carrier |
How to Actually Compare Offers
Never compare gross pay numbers across pay types — always convert to net weekly. A lease offer at $9,900 gross and a company offer at $2,125 gross look wildly different, but after lease expenses the net gap may only be $2,000–3,000. Use Hylas Companion's Gross Pay Calculator to run the exact math for any scenario before you make a decision.