Industries

Benefits for trucking and logistics

Drivers and dock crews keep freight moving around the clock on hourly pay, and a thin benefits package is the first thing a recruiter down the road will beat.

Confirm anything about taxes with your own CPA or licensed tax advisor before you act.

Last updated: 2026-10-26

A man in a plaid shirt sits in the cab of a blue truck with the door open and reads papers on a clipboard resting on the steering wheel.
A driver reads paperwork in the truck cab. Photo: Gustavo Fring on Pexels (opens in a new tab)

My drivers live in different states. Can one plan work for all of them?

A group plan’s network may be strong in one region and thin in another. Give your advisor a list of where each driver lives, not just where your yards are.

A CHOICE Arrangement is another route. Each employee buys an individual plan where they live, and you set the monthly amount you put toward it. It can also be offered to some classes of employees and not others.

Drivers and dock crews work different hours every week. How do I count them?

The federal test counts hours of service. Anyone averaging 30 or more a week, or 130 a month, is full-time. Everyone else’s monthly hours, capped at 120 per person, are added together and divided by 120 to get full-time equivalents.

What do drivers want besides health coverage?

Ask them. Disability and life coverage, paid time off and a retirement plan are common requests. If you have employees in California, the state now requires you to offer a retirement plan or register with CalSavers.

For a sense of the field: in March 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 75% of private-industry workers in transportation and material moving jobs had access to medical care benefits through their employer.

Where these facts come from

Questions owners ask

Are owner-operators my employees?

That depends on how they are classified, which is a legal question. Ask your attorney or accountant before you plan benefits around them.

At what size does the federal health coverage rule start?

At 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents, on average during the prior year. Drivers, dock crews and office staff all count.

Does COBRA cover a driver who leaves?

Federal COBRA generally applies to group health plans of employers with 20 or more employees in the prior year, so a departing driver can usually ask to continue coverage for a time.

Can a new driver start coverage on day one?

Yes, if your plan allows it. A group health plan can set a shorter wait, but never one longer than 90 days.

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