Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in 4 of 10 selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast earned an average (mean) annual wage significantly higher than the national average. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that two of the selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast, Louisville and Memphis, had mean wages significantly higher than the U.S. average wage for light truck or delivery services drivers. Nationwide, the average annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $40,940, while light truck or delivery services drivers earned $33,490. (See table A. For comprehensive definitions of the selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast, please see Technical Note.)

Employment for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast

Atlanta had the highest employment for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers among the ten selected metropolitan areas at 28,210. Two other areas, Memphis (12,730) and Charlotte (11,160), had employment in this occupation above 10,000. Seven of the 10 selected metropolitan areas had employment shares significantly greater than the national share for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. (See table B.) The remaining three areas had local employment shares that were not significantly different from the national average.

Location quotients 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. Higher location quotients for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers were noted for some areas, including Memphis and Jackson, with location quotients of 1.8 and 1.6, respectively.

Employment for light truck or delivery services drivers in selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast

Atlanta had the largest employment of the selected metropolitan areas, with 14,370 light truck or delivery services drivers in May 2013. Charlotte (5,690) and Memphis (5,620) also were among the areas with the largest employment for this occupation.

Four of the selected metropolitan areas had employment shares significantly higher than the national share for light truck or delivery services drivers, while one area had an employment share significantly lower than the U.S. share. (See table B.) Five areas had employment shares in the occupation that were not significantly different from the national average. For light truck or delivery services drivers, higher location quotients were recorded for some areas, including two Tennessee metropolitan areas, Knoxville and Memphis, with location quotients of 2.0 and 1.6, respectively.

Table B. Employment of truck drivers in the United States and selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast, May 2013

Area	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers			Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
	Total employment	Percent of total employment	Location Quotient	Total employment	Percent of total employment	Location Quotient
United States	1,585,300	1.2%	1.0	776,930	0.6%	1.0
Birmingham-Hoover, Ala.	8,240	1.7*	1.4	3,190	0.6	1.1
Jacksonville, Fla.	9,200	1.6*	1.3	2,680	0.5*	0.8
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga.	28,210	1.2	1.0	14,370	0.6	1.1
Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky.-Ind.	8,580	1.4*	1.2	3,720	0.6	1.0
Jackson, Miss.	4,860	2.0*	1.6	2,080	0.8*	1.4
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C.	11,160	1.3	1.1	5,690	0.6	1.1
Greensboro-High Point, N.C.	5,680	1.6*	1.4	2,580	0.7*	1.3
Columbia, S.C.	3,800	1.1	0.9	2,390	0.7	1.2
Knoxville, Tenn.	5,030	1.6*	1.3	3,750	1.2*	2.0
Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark.	12,730	2.2*	1.8	5,620	1.0*	1.6
* The employment for this area is significantly different from the national average of all areas at the 90-percent confidence level.

Wages for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast

Knoxville’s average annual wage of $43,970 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was one of the highest among the ten selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast. Knoxville was also one of four areas with a wage significantly above the U.S. average for this occupation, along with Louisville ($43,540), Memphis ($42,720), and Atlanta ($42,460). Greensboro ($39,300) was the only metropolitan area with an annual wage significantly below the U.S. average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. The areas with above-average wages for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers were concentrated mostly in the western and central portions of the Southeast region. (See chart 1.)

Wages for light truck or delivery services drivers in selected metropolitan areas in the Southeast

The Louisville ($36,670) and Memphis ($36,600) metropolitan areas were the only two selected areas with average annual wages for light truck or delivery services drivers significantly higher than the national average. Toward the bottom of the wage scale, light truck or delivery services drivers in Birmingham earned an average of $30,400 annually, significantly below the U.S. average for this occupation. Wages for light truck or delivery services drivers in the remaining areas were not measurably different from the national average for this occupation (See chart 2.)

These statistics are from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey, a federal-state cooperative program between the BLS and State Workforce Agencies, in this case the Alabama Department of Labor, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Georgia Department of Labor, the Kentucky Department for Workforce Investment, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Technical Note

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey is a semiannual mail survey measuring occupational employment and wage rates for wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments in the United States. Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are also surveyed, but their data are not included in the national estimates. OES estimates are constructed from a sample of about 1.2 million establishments. Forms are mailed to approximately 200,000 sampled establishments in May and November each year for a 3-year period. May 2013 estimates are based on responses from six semiannual panels collected in May 2013, November 2012, May 2012, November 2011, May 2011, and November 2010. The overall nationwide response rate for six panels is 75.3 percent based on establishments and 71.6 percent based on employment. For more information about OES concepts and methodology, go to www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.tn.htm.

The OES survey provides estimates of employment and hourly and annual wages for wage and salary workers in 22 major occupational groups and 821 detailed occupations for the nation, states, metropolitan statistical areas, metropolitan divisions, and nonmetropolitan areas. In addition, employment and wage estimates for 94 minor groups and 458 broad occupations are available in the national data. OES data by state and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan area are available from www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcst.htm and www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm, respectively.

The May 2013 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.

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.

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.

Birmingham-Hoover, Ala. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker Counties in Alabama.

Jacksonville, Fla. MSA includes Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and St. John’s Counties in Florida.

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga. MSA includes Barrow, Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton Counties in Georgia.

Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky.-Ind. MSA includes Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, and Trimble Counties in Kentucky, and Clark, Floyd, Harrison, and Washington Counties in Indiana.

Jackson, Miss. MSA includes Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Rankin, and Simpson Counties in Mississippi.

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, N.C.-S.C. MSA includes Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, and Union Counties in North Carolina, and York County in South Carolina.

Greensboro-High Point, N.C. MSA includes Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham Counties in North Carolina.

Columbia, S.C. MSA includes Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Richland, and Saluda Counties in South Carolina.

Knoxville, Tenn. MSA includes Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, and Union Counties in Tennessee.

Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark. MSA includes Fayette, Shelby, and Tipton Counties in Tennessee, DeSoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tunica Counties in Mississippi, and Crittenden County in Arkansas.