Should I believe what this company is telling me?

Alright so someone’s been telling me to be careful and not let any trucking company blow smoke up my ### because after I finish school and I’m a greenhorn, they can pretty much pay me whatever they want at that point. Anyways, I’ve been looking at flatbedding with Swift. They told me it starts at 42 cents a mile solo compared to 39 doing dry van since flatbedding pays more, driving about 3300 miles every 8-10 days after which it will jump up to 46 cents after 6 months. School is $4000 and they said I only have to pay back half of it st $37 a week for 13 months after which they pay me back for it the same way.

Now, I’m a very practical person so I did some math to see how much I’ll really make. First off, 3300 miles every 8-10 days, means that on average I’ll be driving 3300 every 9 days. That’s about 370 miles a day which is $155 a day or $1085 a week before taxes. That’s $830 a week after taxes, which is 40k a year. At 46 cents, it will be 43k a year after taxes.

Does this sound about right starting out or are they really blowing smoke up my ###?

 

Sounds about right

 

In my world, the mile numbers suck. I'd go nuts if my wings were clipped to 370 a day.

 

Well ####! Thank you then! Right now I’m working on cars getting paid $12.24 an hour at 40 hours a week making $1600 a month. It is straight bs. At least with trucking my only bill will be phone and food, car insurance, and hotels here and there. I want to save the majority of the money I make and buy a Ram Promaster cargo van where I can be my own boss, making $1 a mile. That way I can make the same money if not more compared to a long haul truck driver AND have my life back. I just want to take advantage of the money truckers make so I can invest it into something where I can make more money that way I only need to do it for a few years and I’m good. I already don’t have much of a home, it’s better to be long haul truck driving now.

 

Keep in mind that is avg. some weeks more some weeks less. I’m glad they didn’t try to say 3300 a week. There will be some 3300 mile weeks and there will be some 1800 mile weeks.

 

You forgot to add accessorial pays to the cpm pay.

 

Beware the 2 year trap.

You pay for that training for the first year. They pay you back the next year. One week at a time.

That’s utter BS!

 

1800 a week?! That’s terrible lol. I thought it would only be 3300 miles in 8 days at best or 3300 miles in 10 days at worst.

 

What is that?

 

Where I come from a week is 7 days. And yes there will be those 1800 mile weeks. No one likes them but they happen.