Swift is a good company

What do the big companies pay new drivers with little or no experience and how long do they keep them out on average? I heard they make about 300 to 600 per week and stay out about a month at a time, is that about right?

 

Most are a day off for every week out. Many drivers go home every other weekend at many companies. Those drivers that are single might do the 3-4 week plan.

 

That depends. There are some co's that get drivers in on most weekends.

 

how much do new drivers generally earn per week on average with any company?

 

With the economy now-a-daze, and the slow-down in freight, -----
AFTER training with a typical Big truck truck trainin' company ----
I'm guessin' 'bout $300 --> $500 per week ---
on average.

After road expenses, per week, on average,
subtract 'bout $100 --> $150 from that amount.
($200/$150 ---> $400/$350.)

 

Ugh, I'm happy with $500, not possible say Spring, Summer if economy picks up magically?

 

Unless you find an above average truckin' company that hires newBees,
which will be difficult until the freight picks up,
typical earnings compared to years past ---
will be drastically down.

Truckin' company ads that we read, with suggested earnings listed
are quite possibly older ads that haven't been up-dated to reflect
current conditions.

In years past, a newBee could reasonably expect around
$25, 000 ---> $35,000 per year --- depending on how many miles
they were willing to run.
Now-a-daze, it's more a matter of even GETTING miles TO run,
with a lot of sitting inbetwixt.

Back in the day, sitting --- waiting for a load --- was a rarity for most Big truck truck drivers, ---
with some wishing they could slow down a tad
to catch their breath.

Contrast that with conditions today -----
MANY truckin' companies have curtailed their training programs until further notice.
MANY truckin' companies are down-sizing and/or curtailed their hiring of
newBees, and even experienced drivers are finding it difficult to find
drivin' jobs.
MANY, if not MOST truckin' companies have enacted some form of
NO idling restrictions in an effort to conserve fuel to increase profits,
or just to keep their doors open as freight dwindles ---
as well as cutting their Big trucks top speed for the same reason.
MANY drivers are complaining that they find it hard to sleep in
hot and/or cold Big truck truck sleepers.

SOME truckin' companies that were both team and solo operations have switched
to running mostly teams, with the drivers having no choice in the matter.
SOME truckin' companies are cutting their pay scale while, at the same time, running fewer miles.
SOME truckin' companies are laying off drivers ---
newBees AND experienced.

There are thousands of displaced, experienced drivers seeking another
drivin' job, --- along with the newBees --- competing for the same few jobs.
Along with wannaBees who have been the victims of job losses, and desperate.
Now-a-daze there's a glut of applications on the recruiters' desks to choose from,
whereas in the past there were fewer applications ---
with experienced drivers having the edge at being hired
before wannaBees and newBees.
Not so today.

Trying to get into the truckin' industry these daze, is a roll of the dice
at best.

The truckin' industry is in the worst decline I can recall in the past 25 years.
Others telll me it's the worst they've EVER seen in the past 35 years.

For that reason, I caution ANYone who plans to get into truckin' to WAIT.
If they're already in debt, there's a good chance they'll find themselves deeper
in debt as they try to repay their training costs,
which training truckin' companies take right off the top of a drivers pay
BEFORE the driver even sees it.

If they find themselves unable to make ends meet with the pay they receive,
and terminate their jobs before they have repaid their training loan,
guess what?
The truckin' companies can destroy whatever credit they may have had
as the truckin' companies attempt to recover the costs.
Something like that could hound a person for years to come --- even if/when
the economy improves.
Tack on interest and penalties, and training could wind up costing far more than it was worth, ---
considering that training didn't pan out.

Some may say, Well, at least I obtained my CDL-A.
I say, Big deal!
While waiting a few years for truckin' to pick up, that CDL-A will be stale, and require the holder to start ALL over again,
from the beginning.
Back to training ....... again.
But WaiT!
There's a ding on y'all's DAC and/or a recond of non-payment for the last trainin' received.
Sorry, don't call us, and we won't call you.

Additionally --- with a standard driver's license, the allowable BAC content is 0.08.
However, those who hold a CDL-A enjoy a reduction to 0.04.
Even in their private vehicles, and even while off duty
and/or unemployed.
Get popped for a DUI/DWI, and forget Big truck truckin' for MANY years,
if at all.
The truckin' industry frowns BIG-Time on DUI/DWI.

COULD someone tryin' to enter the truckin' industry today be
an exception to the new rules?
SurE!
Not impossible.
But the odds are slim.
And those who catch a break will probably be the BEST ---
cream-0-the-crop newBees with the best aptitudes and highest truckin' school grades.
Possibly even having an inside connection.
That's the unadulterated, non-candy coated version of reality.
And not likely to be heard coming from any recruiter's mouth(s).
It is what it is --- and it ain't pretty.

 

All of those negative vibes, dude!

At least we know that all we have to go is UP!

 

Thank you for your input Aftershock. It sounds like you have a lot of exp. But the problem some of the people are facing is that they are unemployed and some have been burned out on their previous jobs. I for one worked in Real Estate for 20+ years and always wanted to go into trucking it's like one of those things in the list to do and I think that anybody can do what they set their mind to do. But you have to give it your best or don't do it at all.

 

I calls 'em like I sees 'em.

If "UP!" is an option after hitting rock bottom.

You want candy-coating?
Not from me.
If I sound "negative" --- consider the FACTS.
All I'm doin' is relating the facts.

Y'all want to hear positive?
Talk to most any recruiter.

You're welcome.

You have good hearing.

I understand that.
Many are desperate.
That's not good, is it?

I don't agree.

MANY have that attitude, and MANY of them come to learn that it takes much more than that to succeed in the truckin' industry now-a-daze.
One has only to read the various threads here to realize that.
I'm not makin' it up.
There ARE times when "your best" isn't good enough these days.
It's twue!
It's twue!