Truck Driver Salary in Kentucky (2026): BLS OEWS Data, Top Metros & Carriers

Truck Driver Salary in Kentucky (2026): BLS OEWS Data, Top Metros & Carriers

Last verified: 2026-04-20 against the BLS OEWS 53-3032 May 2024 release (published March 2025) and carrier-published pay bands as of this date.

Kentucky sits at the center of one of the most logistically unique trucking economies in the U.S. Louisville anchors UPS Worldport — the largest automated package handling facility on earth — and the Amazon Air hub at CVG (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport) sits on Kentucky soil, making the Louisville–Lexington–Northern KY triangle a nationally significant ground-to-air freight node. Toyota's Georgetown plant (the largest Toyota assembly facility outside Japan) drives dedicated auto-parts JIT freight. Bourbon distilleries across Central and Eastern Kentucky move finished goods, grain, and barrel freight. This guide extracts BLS OEWS data for Kentucky, names the metros and carriers, and contextualizes the pay picture against the national $57,440 median for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers (SOC 53-3032) as of May 2024.¹

Key Takeaways

• BLS OEWS 53-3032, May 2024 — Kentucky state median annual wage: $55,810. State employment: ~31,530 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers.² National median: $57,440.¹
• Kentucky median sits ~$1,630 below the national median on nominal — a modest gap that is substantially offset by below-national cost of living per BEA Regional Price Parities.³
• Top paying Kentucky metros: Louisville/Jefferson County MSA (UPS Worldport + distribution), Cincinnati MSA (Northern Kentucky share), Lexington-Fayette MSA (Toyota Georgetown adjacency + distribution).
• Distinguishing features: UPS Worldport + Amazon CVG Air Hub together create one of the most concentrated air-ground freight interchanges in the U.S.; Toyota Georgetown auto-parts JIT freight; bourbon-industry freight; coal and industrial freight in Eastern KY (declining from historical peaks); Teamster UPS presence.
• Dominant freight segments: UPS feeder and ground linehaul (Teamster), Amazon Air CVG ground distribution, Toyota dedicated auto-parts, bourbon and beverage dedicated (Brown-Forman, Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace), LTL linehaul on I-65/I-75/I-64/I-24, general distribution.
• Cross-reference: Kentucky CDL process is covered in the Kentucky CDL Requirements guide.

Kentucky Truck Driver Wages — BLS OEWS 53-3032 State Data

The values below reflect the BLS OEWS May 2024 release (published March 2025) for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032) in Kentucky. Verify the exact current figures at the BLS Kentucky state profile: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ky.htm.²

OEWS revises annually. The May 2024 release is the current authoritative cycle as of this guide's last-verified date; the next release typically publishes in spring 2026. When in doubt, cite the BLS OES Kentucky state page directly — the source_url above is the canonical pointer.

How Kentucky Compares to the National Median

Kentucky's $55,810 median sits ~$1,630 below the national median of $57,440.¹² On pure nominal terms that's a ~2.8% gap. But the real purchasing power story is different:

• BEA Regional Price Parities for Kentucky track below the national index of 100.0 in most metros outside Louisville.³ A same-job driver's dollar stretches further than in most coastal states.
• Housing cost is materially lower than Chicago, NYC, LA, or Boston metros. Louisville housing is affordable on driver wages; Lexington and Northern Kentucky suburbs are similar.
• State income tax in Kentucky is a flat ~4% (well below NY, CA, OR rates but above no-income-tax FL, TX, TN, WA). Net effect on driver take-home is modest.

Net real purchasing power is competitive with or better than states with higher nominal wages but higher costs.

Top Kentucky Metros for Truck Drivers

Louisville–Jefferson County MSA

The biggest trucking metro in Kentucky and one of the most logistically important in the U.S.: - UPS Worldport — the largest automated package handling facility on earth. Teamster-contracted UPS feeder (tractor) drivers are the single largest union CDL concentration in Kentucky, with senior feeder drivers commonly pushing $100,000+ with overtime and benefits. - Ford Kentucky Truck Plant — heavy-duty pickup assembly; dedicated parts freight. - GE Appliance Park — historic appliance manufacturing + supply chain. - I-65 / I-64 / I-71 interstate convergence.

Louisville MSA OEWS typically posts above state median. Data: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_31140.htm.⁴

Lexington–Fayette MSA

• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (Georgetown) — largest Toyota assembly plant outside Japan; dedicated auto-parts JIT freight. Jack Cooper and Cassens auto-haul, plus dedicated parts carriers.
• University of Kentucky + Lexington distribution + horse-industry freight.
• Bourbon Trail freight — Woodford Reserve, Four Roses, Wild Turkey Central KY distillery cluster.

Lexington MSA data: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_30460.htm.⁴

Cincinnati MSA (Northern Kentucky portion)

• Amazon Air CVG Hub — the largest Amazon Air hub in the U.S. sits at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (Boone County, Kentucky). Adjacent ground freight distribution is significant.
• DHL Cincinnati/CVG — major global express hub.
• I-71 / I-75 / I-275 convergence.

MSA data (shared with Ohio): https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_17140.htm.⁴ Kentucky-side drivers receive Kentucky wage norms but work CVG-metro freight.

Bowling Green / Owensboro / Paducah

• Bowling Green — Corvette assembly, Med-Express, distribution along I-65.
• Owensboro — Ohio River freight, grain/ag.
• Paducah — Ohio/Tennessee/Mississippi river confluence; barge-to-truck intermodal.

Major Freight Industries Driving Kentucky Pay

Major Carriers Hiring in Kentucky

• Louisville Teamster UPS — premier union CDL opportunity in Kentucky.
• Amazon Freight / Amazon Air ground — significant Northern KY hiring.
• Auto-haul: Jack Cooper (Toyota Georgetown + Ford KY Truck Plant), Cassens, United Road.
• Mega OTR / Regional: Schneider, Werner, CR England, Knight-Swift, Heartland Express (nearby Iowa HQ), Stevens Transport.
• LTL: Old Dominion, Saia, XPO, Estes, ABF Freight (Teamster), FedEx Freight, TForce, R+L Carriers.
• Kentucky-based / regional: Averitt Express (nearby TN HQ but major KY presence), Diesel Transport, Sun Tan Trucking (bourbon + grain), Bluegrass Trucking.
• Private fleet: Brown-Forman dedicated (bourbon), Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace dedicated contractors, Ford Motor Company freight contractors.
• Tanker: Kenan Advantage Group (HQ North Canton OH, major KY ops for fuel + chemical), Groendyke, Trimac.

Pay by Route Type Within Kentucky

• OTR from Kentucky origin: $60,000–$82,000 experienced. Kentucky's central location makes outbound freight plentiful in every direction.
• Regional (KY/TN/IN/OH/WV): $65,000–$88,000.
• Local / home-daily: $48,000–$80,000; UPS Teamster feeder and specialty tanker at the upper end.
• Dedicated: $58,000–$90,000; Toyota Georgetown and Ford KY Truck Plant dedicated auto-parts at upper end.
• UPS feeder (Teamster) Louisville: $95,000–$115,000+ at senior seniority with full benefits + pension.

Kentucky CDL and Licensing

Getting a CDL in Kentucky is covered in depth in the dedicated guide: Kentucky CDL Requirements. Key Kentucky specifics:

• Issuing agency: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) / Division of Driver Licensing.
• CDL classes A, B, C with standard fees.
• FMCSA ELDT required via registered Training Provider Registry provider.

For drivers targeting the highest Kentucky pay bands (Teamster UPS feeder, senior LTL linehaul), the Doubles/Triples (T) endorsement is essential.

FAQs

How much does a truck driver make in Kentucky in 2026? Kentucky's BLS OEWS May 2024 state median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers (SOC 53-3032) is $55,810, based on ~31,530 drivers employed statewide.² The state sits ~$1,630 below the national median of $57,440.¹ Experienced drivers in senior Teamster UPS feeder, LTL linehaul, or auto-haul dedicated push into the $90,000–$115,000+ range.

What is the highest-paying trucking job in Kentucky? Senior Teamster UPS feeder (tractor) driver at Louisville's UPS Worldport. With seniority, overtime, and Teamster benefits + pension, senior feeder drivers commonly exceed $100,000. Dedicated auto-haul at Toyota Georgetown or Ford Kentucky Truck Plant and senior LTL linehaul are close seconds.

Where in Kentucky do truck drivers get paid the most? Louisville MSA typically leads on nominal due to UPS Worldport concentration. Lexington-Fayette (Toyota Georgetown adjacency) and Northern Kentucky (Amazon CVG Air hub) track near state mean with strong specialty-lane premiums.

Is Kentucky a good state for truck drivers? Yes — Kentucky combines UPS Worldport (the largest Teamster CDL concentration in the state), Amazon CVG adjacency, Toyota Georgetown auto-manufacturing, a central geographic position for outbound freight, below-national cost of living, and moderate state income tax. For drivers targeting Teamster UPS feeder as a career, Kentucky is arguably the best state in the U.S.

How does Kentucky compare to Ohio for truck drivers? Both states have auto-manufacturing freight and LTL density. Ohio has broader distribution hub concentration (Columbus) and multiple OH-HQ carriers (R+L, Dayton Freight, Kenan Advantage). Kentucky has the unique UPS Worldport + Amazon CVG concentration. Ohio's state median ($57,750) is slightly above Kentucky's ($55,810); cost of living in both is below national.

Does UPS Worldport really hire that many drivers? Yes — UPS Louisville (Worldport + Centennial Hub) is the single largest UPS ground + air logistics facility in the world. Teamster-contracted feeder (tractor) and package-car drivers number in the thousands, and UPS is actively hiring in most cycles. Seniority drives the strongest pay in Kentucky trucking; new hires start below senior rates and progress via the Teamster-UPS collective bargaining agreement.

What are the largest carriers hiring in Kentucky in 2026? Based on public recruiting activity: UPS Louisville, Amazon Freight (Northern KY), Jack Cooper auto-haul, Old Dominion, Saia, ABF Freight, Schneider, Werner, FedEx Freight, Averitt Express, Kenan Advantage Group. Verify current openings and pay bands at each carrier's recruiting site.

Sources