Expected pay for 2nd year?

As long you mind your expenses each load and set aside a percentage of savings each load, it will be better improvement than your year one. You also will have gone through the Tax man and understand what you did in year one, how much or how little to nothing you had to be paid back or pay in extra taxes etc last year. You adjust withholding to fed and state each payroll so that you hit at least a little something in taxman for early year three.

I made approx 1.2 million gross over about 30 years which essentially went straight into necessary things in living expenses etc. (House paid off in 6 years, cars plural many times in one or two at most or cash bought etc, several big time replacement of storm damage or installation/upgrades/replacement of major house systems took a cost.

I recall wife and I making sure our gross did not exceed 17500 some years later in life to defend against the excessive taxation by the state. It was very successful. Now most people would never accept a life style at that low annual, but here in the south, debt free, savings, house paid off hardly any bills etc. It's easy to do if you need to.

What I did in the 80's living large at 26 to 32K gross is nothing at all in 2001. I doubled that to almost 70K when you have a Reefer Husband Wife team doing it. We could have done 150K if we were not frittered away each week that year chasing late solos. But life isnt about couldves.

Inflation is also the biggest impact in your lifetime earnings. It will always go up and you will always pay more later. Example Taxman 30 bucks in the 70's becomes a potentially hundreds of dollars monster at 50 dollars each form you have to submit. Ugh.

Your savings will carry you through famine weeks when you cannot hardly make any miles or money. It is far better to be on a salary system where you are paid a certain amount each week regardless of what that truck did run hard or sit.

Your other problem is risk management. You cannot depend on being still employed, alive, have all your fingers and toes a year from now, you do this one day at a time, one load a time. Then review where you were in the beginning of year two and compare to year one etc.

Remember, companies are still paying .34 a mile if people are stupid enough to sign on for that little. That is so late 80's early 90's top pay. It's BS. You would want at least .65 a mile all miles as a company hand.

If you cannot get it good under W2, then cut the W2 loose and go 1099 and pay your own withholding across the board yourself and taxes etc. (Which is a much much bigger deal than simple W2.)

One final thought.

If you do not yet live in a tax free state such as Florida, South Dakota, Particularly Nevada etc... get yourself there. The less you pay the better off you will be.

 

Depends on whether or not you continue to take the path of least resistance or you become more goal oriented and investing in yourself. First year, you had school, and had to ride with a trainer for a couple months and didn't make dick in the trainer's truck. If you make no changes at all to employment and continue on as you were, you should make $8k more the 2nd year just because.

Or you can try to get your foot in the door to some different type of hauling where they pay you for what you know as well as what you do. That's where you are going to come out on top in the long run. Otherwise, it will always be MILES MILES MILES.

(Had a friend name "Miles"...strange name. I wonder if there is a "Kilometer" out there somewhere.)

 

How much you make depends on which company you work for, what type of hauling you do, if you have endorsements or not and are using them.

 

Follow this advice^

 

As an OTR driver, you will see increases in pay as you gain experience. Some pay more than others, but on average basis, regardless of cpm, if you're company is giving 2500-3000 miles per week, you will be in the ball park of 1100-1500 per week. Most of us are in that category. OTR Jobs that are paying more than that are minimal. I'd more look for the company that can keep a load in or on that trailer if you're OTR. That's what ultimately gives the best chance to succeed out here

 

I have friends that are still making only $0.38 to $0.40 per mile pulling dry van freight up and down the I-5 corridor, a couple of them with 30 plus years experience.

They do it because the company hauls freight in their personal sweet spot. They get home 2 to 3 nights a week, are able to stop by the house a couple of additional times for lunch, shower ,etc, if they want while in route.

Also, they are comfortable working within the system and are content (I guess) to just stay within it. Most of their wives make better money than they do and some of their spouses have killer medical benefits. So, I guess I can see in a way why they would be happy just doing what they do.

As the old saying goes, "one size does not fit all."...

 

If you were a 22 year old athlete going into the pros and you could outperform all the 30-35 year olds, what would you think if the owner of your new team told you:

"Experience pays. You see, I have to pay you less until you get more experience than these older players that can barely walk and are hurt half the time."

 

That's actually how pro sports work....dam those rookir contracts. They have to be eligible for free agency or eligible....in our works, which doesn't compare, more often than not experience matters. If one ends getting paid more than the vet, there is a level of luck involved