Starting out pay per mile rate?

I own a small trucking company based out of Oklahoma, just bought my 3rd truck yesterday. I want to be fair as far as pay but hear so many different amounts being paid in this industry. So I'm trying to figure out what I should pay someone starting work for me. In the past, I have always paid by the mile. I have paid all miles, empty or loaded cause I thought that was the fair way. We have only reefers right now running OTR.
The loads are basically the 48 states but I have also tried to accommodate the drivers depending on where they live. I don't offer benefits yet but will be looking at possibly adding them as I plan on expanding faster. As soon as I get a driver in this current truck, I will purchase another and look for a driver for that one. And hopefully continue adding trucks for awhile if things go smooth.
I have been considering having a per mile rate that would pay a little more for the shorter loads of say under 300 or 400 miles. I just want the pay to be fair so we can both make money. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Yes, I have thought about paying a percentage in the past but haven't yet upto this point. What kind of percentage is fair when hiring someone with with a decent driving record and decent experience? The more I've thought about this lately, the more I would like to switch to it. This is really a problem that I need to take care of as finding good OTR drivers is the only thing keeping me from growing right now. I bought my last reefer from a local guy here in town who used to have 20 plus OTR trucks, says he went out of business as he had the same problem of finding & keeping drivers. So this is a hurdle that I need to get over so trying as much as possible to be a driver friendly company.

 

Here is what I have come up with so far, 3 ideas. Curious what truck drivers would prefer so would love to hear some responses. The below is a hiring pay for an experienced driver with a good driving record, I know there are different experience levels but as a small company I can always bump up some pay for the right driver. Am also working on paying 10 cents per mile as per diem, this comes out of pay, just paid as per diem. So for option 1, pay would be .22 for driving and .10 as per diem which would equal .32 per mile with some added tax benefits.

Option 1: A flat .32 per mile, includes deadhead
Option 2: .31 per mile for over 300 miles, .35 for 250-299, .37 for 200-249, .39 for 150-199, .45 for under 150.
Option 3: 16% of load rate

Raises/benefits as follows:
Option 1: 90 days: .34 & health benifits. 1 year: .36 with one paid week week off.
Option 2: 90 days: All rates bumped up 2 cents per mile & health benefits. 1 year: Another 2 cents with one paid week week off.
Option 3: 90 days: 17% of load rate & health benefits. 1 year: 18% with one paid week week off.

Would like to hear other ideas or anything to make the above better.

 

Why would you find someone else to work for, can you be more specific? I am guessing you are probably happy where you work, what is it that they offer that keeps you there? Or if you are saying you have your own authority, what is it that you offer that keeps your drivers happy?

 

Thanks for the response. Can you give me any examples? I have been searching the internet the last few days and thought I was in line with what I found. In fact, one of my options copied a big carrier except that I added a cent per mile I think. I have an excel sheet with all the info I could find, trying to use ones that pretty much compared like apples to apples.

You say 6% low, at 22%, my driver would have earned 46.4 cents per mile his first month. Is there something I'm missing, when I say 22%, I mean really 22%. Is that really what you think a company driver should start out at or am I supposed to deduct something.