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News Release Information

17-814-ATL
Friday, June 30, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

Occupational Employment and Wages for Selected Truck Driver Occupations in Tennessee’s Metropolitan Areas – May 2016

Among the 10 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in Tennessee, 4 had annual wages that were significantly below the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. One area had below-average wages for light truck or delivery services drivers, and eight areas had below-average wages for industrial truck and tractor operators. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that none of the areas had annual wages significantly above the U.S. average for the three selected truck driver occupations. Nationwide, the average (mean) wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $43,590; for light truck or delivery services drivers, $34,790; and for industrial truck and tractor operators, $34,260. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of metropolitan areas in Tennessee, please see Technical Note.)

 

Table A. Average (mean) annual wages for selected truck driver occupations in the United States, Tennessee, and metropolitan areas in Tennessee, May 2016
Area Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

United States

$43,590 $34,790 $34,260

Tennessee

41,680* 34,450 30,680*

Chattanooga

37,660* 31,700 32,160*

Clarksville

34,860* 29,670* 35,310

Cleveland

48,850 (1) 28,930*

Jackson

37,280* 29,170 27,620*

Johnson City

33,740* 34,760 31,610*

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol

44,290 30,970 34,780

Knoxville

43,020 37,260 29,020*

Memphis

43,410 36,420 29,240*

Morristown

47,200 34,130 29,960*

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin

44,510 34,290 32,100*

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.
 

Note: An asterisk indicates that the mean annual wage for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.
 

Of the 10 metropolitan areas located entirely or partially in Tennessee, the Nashville–Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin area had the largest employment in the three selected truck driver occupations at 26,700 followed by Memphis at 25,210. Employment in these three occupations combined was less than 11,200 in each of the remaining metropolitan areas for which data were available. (See table B.) 

Table B. Employment of selected truck driver occupations in the United States, Tennessee, and metropolitan areas in Tennessee, May 2016
Area Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

United States

1,704,520 858,710 542,750

Tennessee

58,120 18,810 17,730

Chattanooga

6,760 1,780 1,220

Clarksville

820 370 270

Cleveland

820 (1) 470

Jackson

1,120 500 230

Johnson City

720 340 320

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol

1,730 870 400

Knoxville

8,110 1,770 1,220

Memphis

14,420 4,950 5,840

Morristown

1,450 190 180

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin

16,160 5,880 4,660

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.
 

Location quotients (LQs) allow us to explore the occupational make-up of a metropolitan area by comparing the composition of jobs in an area relative to the national average. For example, a location quotient of 2.0 indicates that an occupation accounts for twice the share of employment in the area than it does nationally.

In Tennessee, above-average concentrations of employment were found in 6 of the 10 areas for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. For example, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers were employed at 2.8 times the national rate in the Morristown area, and 2.3 times the U.S. average in Chattanooga. LQs for the four remaining areas ranged from 1.9 to 1.5. Industrial truck and tractor operators had above-average concentrations of employment in Cleveland and Memphis, with LQs of 2.6 and 2.4, respectively. (See table C.)

Table C. Location quotients of selected truck driver occupations in the United States, Tennessee, and metropolitan areas in Tennessee, May 2016
Area Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

United States

1.0 1.0 1.0

Tennessee

1.7 1.1 1.6

Chattanooga

2.3 1.2 1.3

Clarksville

0.8 0.7 0.8

Cleveland

1.5 (1) 2.6

Jackson

1.4 1.3 0.9

Johnson City

0.8 0.7 1.1

Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol

1.2 1.2 0.9

Knoxville

1.8 0.8 0.8

Memphis

1.9 1.3 2.4

Morristown

2.8 0.7 1.1

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin

1.5 1.1 1.3

Footnotes:
(1) Data not available.
 

Wages for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in metropolitan areas in Tennessee

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in 4 of the 10 metropolitan areas in Tennessee had wages significantly below the U.S. annual average of $43,590: Johnson City ($33,740), Clarksville ($34,860), Jackson ($37,280), and Chattanooga ($37,660). The remaining six metropolitan areas had wages that were not measurably different from the national average for this occupation.

Wages for light truck or delivery drivers in metropolitan areas in Tennessee

The Clarksville area had a mean annual wage of $29,670 for light truck or delivery drivers, significantly below the U.S. average of $34,790. Light truck or delivery drivers in the remaining areas for which data were available in Tennessee, earned wages that were not significantly different from the national average for this occupation.

Wages for industrial truck and tractor operators in metropolitan areas in Tennessee

Eight areas had annual wages for industrial truck and tractor operators that were significantly below the national average of $34,260. The lower paying areas included Jackson ($27,620), Cleveland ($28,930), and Knoxville ($29,020). Industrial truck and tractor operators in Clarksville and Kingsport–Bristol–Bristol earned wages that were not measurably different from the U.S. average.

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Note on Occupational Employment Statistics

A value that is statistically different from another does not necessarily mean that the difference has economic or practical significance. Statistical significance is concerned with the ability to make confident statements about a universe based on a sample. It is entirely possible that a large difference between two values is not significantly different statistically, while a small difference is, since both the size and heterogeneity of the sample affect the relative error of the data being tested.


Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. The OES data available from BLS include cross-industry occupational employment and wage estimates for the nation; over 650 areas, including states and the District of Columbia, metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), metropolitan divisions, nonmetropolitan areas, and territories; national industry-specific estimates at the NAICS sector, 3-, 4-, and selected 5- and 6-digit industry levels, and national estimates by ownership across all industries and for schools and hospitals. OES data are available at www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Each year, two semiannual panels of approximately 200,000 sampled establishments are contacted, one panel in May and the other in November. Responses are obtained by mail, Internet or other electronic means, email, telephone, or personal visit. The May 2016 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected over a 3-year period: May 2016, November 2015, May 2015, November 2014, May 2014, and November 2013. The overall national response rate for the six panels, based on the 50 states and the District of Columbia, is 73 percent based on establishments and 69 percent based on weighted sampled employment. The unweighted employment of sampled establishments across all six semiannual panels represents approximately 58 percent of total national employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tec.htm.

The May 2016 OES estimates are based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Information about the 2010 SOC is available on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/soc and information about the 2012 NAICS is available at www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm.

Metropolitan area definitions

The substate area data published in this release reflect the standards and definitions established by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

  • Chattanooga, Tenn.-Ga. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Catoosa, Dade, and Walker Counties in Georgia; Hamilton, Marion, and Sequatchie Counties in Tennessee.
  • Clarksville, Tenn.-Ky. MSA includes Christian and Trigg Counties in Kentucky; Montgomery County in Tennessee.
  • Cleveland, Tenn. MSA includes Bradley and Polk Counties in Tennessee.
  • Jackson, Tenn. MSA includes Chester, Crockett, and Madison Counties in Tennessee.
  • Johnson City, Tenn. MSA includes Carter, Unicoi, and Washington Counties in Tennessee.
  • Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, Tenn.-Va. MSA includes Hawkins and Sullivan Counties in Tennessee; Scott and Washington Counties, and Bristol City in Virginia.
  • Knoxville, Tenn. MSA includes Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Grainger, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, and Union Counties in Tennessee.
  • Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark. includes Benton, DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica Counties in Mississippi; Crittenden County in Arkansas; Fayette, Shelby, and Tipton Counties in Tennessee.
  • Morristown, Tenn. MSA includes Hamblen and Jefferson Counties in Tennessee.
  • Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, Tenn. MSA includes Cannon, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Macon, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson Counties in Tennessee.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, June 30, 2017