Is truck driving about $10 per hour?

I'll just add my .02 worth here and say that I went to work for a tanker outfit (OTR) fresh out of school and made just under $50k the first year and about $65k the second, which I have just completed.

It's an easy enough job to get with a year of experience (they stopped taking students) and a decent driving record. About two and a half weeks is the longest I've ever been out. I don't get that many miles but the layover pay, demurrage, and load and unload pay really adds up.

 

Under load, I make around $22/hr. But if you figure in all the unlogged work hours on the dock, shop and waiting on loads and the fact we don't get overtime. OTR drivers do make around $8-9 hour. The money is good, but you work long hours to get it.

 

I think the OP"S post is a very good estimate,-at least for a company driver.(which I am)

 

Its a good estimate for your first year as you're gaining experience. But most experienced drivers make around $50k per year on average. However, to think you'll just skip over the low paying job where you gain experience is not really likely. Not to say there aren't higher paying jobs out there for newbies, but you do need the experience first. Without that, you're not really worth it to the company.

 

Lupe I see where you are coming from maybe shoot for 48 weeks a year. If you really want to average it out, technically from the time you leave your house until you get back would be how I would average pay. If you are in that truck and not at home then you are working. Even during your 34 or whatever you have people calling you or qualcomm messages or you are do something to the truck or laundy. Off time isn't drinking beers watching football in the lazy boy when you are over the road.

With that being said there are 168 hours in a week. You aren't working 52 straight weeks so I would say maybe 46-48 weeks. Try that. I think its a lot less than 10 an hour.

 

Come on Lupe, are you serious??? You pick up that new invention called a "telephone" and let your fingers do the dialing.

 

I can't believe there are members on this board who have not learned yet that lupe's questions are, well, Loopy!

I am sure he is not a driver, or even in driving school, just some punk kid who is trolling the site.

 

I agree that we work many hours unpaid, however I don't usually work much over the 70 hrs. in a week, and quite honestly, a lot of what we do is hardly work. Most is way more mental than physical.(I drive a dry-van. Flatbed would be another story)
Also, we are always away from home and those that care about us, which should entitle us to some sort of extra pay.
The way I choose to look at it, maybe I'm trying to fool myself, is that my average check for 2010 was $1031/week. This included all my time at home and the 2 weeks vacation that I took.
This would be $25.77/hr at 40 hours. I'm not sure about you, but if I could make $25/hr at home I would be doing it, not driving truck. It could probably be around $12.50/hr with 30 hrs. at time and a half also, but I doubt anyone could actually get a job where they would let you get 30 hrs. of overtime.
I'm rambling now, but what I guess I'm saying is I'm making pretty good money, and right now that's more important than other things. Hopefully I will have some financial issues taken care of in another year or two and will be able to get a local job and be home to lead a more normal life.