How to Run Driver Settlements — Complete Step-by-Step Guide

A clean settlement is the difference between drivers who stay and drivers who don't. Pay them right, on time, and with a statement they can verify line by line — that's the whole job. This guide walks the complete workflow we recommend for any small-to-mid-size carrier.

1. Lock the source data

Every settlement is built from delivered loads, ELD/odometer-derived miles, and any deductions or advances posted in the period. Before you generate a settlement, confirm three things: every load in the period is in delivered or paid status, miles are populated on every load (not just Google distance — actual driven miles), and any per-load adjustments (lumper, scale, detention) are recorded against the load record itself rather than as one-off settlement line items.

2. Pick the pay model

• Per mile — pays loaded × loaded rate + empty × empty rate. Most common.
• Percentage — pays a fixed % of the load's gross. Good for owner-ops.
• Flat per load — useful for short-haul or dedicated lanes.
• Hourly — local drayage and yard work.

For owner-operators there are two scenarios you'll see in real life. Scenario A: the driver is the owner-op, the carrier takes a fixed company percentage off the gross, and the owner-op keeps the rest. Scenario B: the carrier is also paying the seated driver out of the same gross, so the owner-op nets the residual after both the company cut and driver pay come out.

3. Deductions and advances

Tally fuel, tolls, comdata advances, recurring deductions (insurance, escrow, ELD), and per-load late fees in one pass. Mark every deduction with a reference back to the source — driver advance #, fuel transaction #, late fee load #. If a driver disputes a number, you should be able to point at the originating record in 10 seconds.

4. Generate, review, approve

Most carriers run a draft settlement, send the PDF to the driver for review, then approve. The PDF should show every load with miles and rate, every deduction with description, and net pay. Drivers who can read their own statement complain less. Drivers who can't, complain forever.

5. Pay

ACH is fastest and cheapest. Comdata and EFS are common for OTR drivers who want money on the road. Paper checks still happen and that's fine — just make sure the check number lands on the settlement record so reconciliation isn't a manual hunt.

Common mistakes

• Paying off a load before the POD lands and then reversing — drivers hate this
• Forgetting recurring deductions that should still hit a final settlement
• Mixing fuel-card transactions across two pay periods
• Approving a draft settlement without sending the PDF for review first