South Dakota Trucking

South Dakota is a midwestern state with a small population and lots of ranchland. The state is home to the infamous Mount Rushmore, which is its most popular tourist attraction. 3 For a shot at hauling freight that will bring in the bucks, truckers in South Dakota can tap into the state’s major industries like agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and tourism.3 Drivers will find opportunities from various companies, and as a bonus, encounter dense traffic and beautiful scenery.

Advocacy

The South Dakota Trucking Association (SDTA) is a non-profit membership-based organization with a mission to “Promote and serve the transportation industry.”

Some member services and opportunities include:

• Legislative advocacy
• Regulatory compliance
• Education and Training
• Safety Management Council
• Awards and Recognition programs

Freight Economy

South Dakota truckers primarily transport:

• Brewing/distilling dregs, waste
• Solid residues including soya bean oil-cake
• Ethanol
• Mechanical front-end shovel loaders
• Pork and Beef cuts
• Bentonite
• Soya beans

Access

Six states border South Dakota. The state’s location near Canada allows truckers to ship freight internationally.

I-29 and I90 are major interstates and account for approximately 700 miles of the state’s 167,000 total lane miles of roadway.

Work and Wages

South Dakota has approximately 546 total local truck driver jobs.

The average annual salary of truck drivers in the state is about $52,710, and in May 2020, the BLS reported a median yearly salary for Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers of $47,130.

South Dakota-based drivers can expect work like CDL A Local Truck Driver – Auto Hauler, with Carvana.