Kansas Trucking Has Big Connections
Kansas is a Great Plains state with wide-open spaces. The Sunflower State has major terminals and is crossed by one of the main U.S. east-west transportation routes.10 Truck drivers in the state export various goods tied to Kansas’ major industries, including its top industry, aviation. Other primary industries are agriculture, cattle production, energy, and industrial minerals.
Advocacy
The Kansas Motor Carriers Association (KMCA) has more than 900 companies and sponsors the Kansas Road Team. KMCA and the Safety Management Council promote highway safety and the importance of trucking to the state's economy. The association also offers various member benefits.
Freight Economy
Trucks move more freight domestically than any other form of transportation, generating about 5 percent of the American GDP.[9][6] Nearly 20% of products shipped out of Kansas are aviation-related.
Primary products moved by truck drivers in Kansas, include:
- Aircraft including engines, parts
- Beef cuts
- Wheat, corn, and soya beans
- Radio navigational apparatus
- Dog and cat food
- Rubber tires
Access
There are 970 miles of interstate highways in Kansas, making up a portion of the state’s 290,000 total lane miles of roadway.10 Major interstates include:
- I-70
- I-35
- I-335
Work and Wages
Kansas has about 5,158 total local truck driver jobs.
The average annual salary of a Kansas truck driver is approximately $51,246, and in May 2020, the BLS reported a median yearly salary of $47,130.
Drivers can expect to find jobs with companies like JB Hunt Transport.
