Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

$65k might be a bit difficult... This is my first year and thinking $50k is probably reasonable expectation, for me, but I could be wrong. JohnBoy recently announced his wages within this thread and was pushing $70k but he has been here for three years and has like thirty years of driving experience too. So that should be a decent representation of potential wages.

Now, we also have expectations of a reasonable amount of home time too... If one is out running hard and home time is not that big of a deal then that would have an effect too.

We have kept my wife's insurance so I can't answer your other questions... Sorry.

 

Talked to Rusty. Insurance seems fairly good, pay is a little on the low side to start, trucks sound nicely equipped. I am wondering what are the temperature parameters for idling.....above what and below what? Does the company have any type of bonus program? Overall, most of you that post here sound happy. Guess I have some thinking to do.

 

As to pay, remember that CPM is only one piece of the bigger puzzle... Total Miles being another, amount of Drop/Hook, amount of No Touch, ones personal relationship with the company, etc... All aspects add up nicely for me.

Trucks are nicely kitted out... I have trained in both Volvos & KWs... And driven a '13 & '14 Volvos... Nice little RVs in my opinion.

Idling Parameters are, I think, set above 65 and below 35... But the bunk heaters are AWESOME on the low end. I will see what happens next summer when I idle for A/C but I highly doubt it's an issue.

As to bonus programs, none that I am aware of... Which I thought rather odd at first too but it's rather refreshing not to jump through hoops to try to qualify for a fuel bonus or safety bonus etc... It's a very straight forward company... You drive for us and we pay you... Simple... No hassles, no unneeded complexity... Ease of calculating ones potential income without guessing if you will get X or Y bonuses or be frustrated when you don't get them... No fine print to trip you up from qualifying, Etc.

Just calculate MILES x CPM... Done!

Oh, we have our typical complainers that's for sure... And you will run into them on the yards... But I just shake my head and smile... But yes, I think most of us here are pretty satisfied with Abilene... From newbies like myself, to veterans like JohnBoy... Even a few that left and came back to Abilene too.

Driver satisfaction was a BIG factor in my choice to come to Abilene for sure!!!

Good luck on your thinking...

Stay Safe,
MD

 

The problem for me is that in order to make what I need to make I would have to average around 3,800 miles per week for the 45 weeks per year I plan to be out. Not doable at all imho.

 

i been all over the world in my fishing boats
most were no bigger then that black one in front of the floating island behind it

 

Well, you know what you need to make and have all the numbers to calculate if that's possible...

It might be possible running hard and maybe as a trainer, if qualified, for part of that time but expecting 7 weeks off the job might be a deal breaker on both sides. But those calls are well over this Drivers pay grade...

Maybe others here might have more input for you.

Good luck in your search.

Stay Safe wherever you opt to land.

 

Another possible option to hitting that income levels would be teaming up with another driver ... Teams are paid more CPM and get the better more time sensitive loads... But I don't know much about the teaming setups... The recruiters could help fill in those details for you.

 

So what are you trying to say? Lol

 

Teaming is not an option. There are days I cant stand myself. I cant imagine being in a truck with another guy every single day.


As far as 7 weeks off goes, 14 out and 2 off is what I was told. Works out to just about 7 weeks off if I am doing the math right. Oh well, we will see what winds up happening. Abilene sounds like a great company to drive for.

 

i can't imagine being in charge up in the cruise ship wheelhouse
of course wheelhouse is an outdated term today
electric pushbutton house would be more accurate