Give me a break. The national average is $26/hr no matter what so and so says they make.
You are looking at internet listings about base pay.
The posters with direct knowledge are mostly talking about experienced people with seniority, and who work jobs which involve lots of overtime during bad-weather events, at time and a half, double-time, adverse-weather differential, travel differential, etc, etc.
Base pay is NOT necessarily what experienced people wind up making.
Check out the City of Burlington Vt union contract. Base pay for a line worker first class is up to $82K. In Vermont.